Blog 3561 – 08.04.2025

Cherishing Family, Friends, and Time

Yesterday, I received a text from my sister-in-law Esther Survance that she and her husband David would be driving down from Indianapolis with my RV camper trailer in tow next week. They had intended to be in Bon Wier, Texas (where I plan to keep the camper) by this Wednesday but had to change their plans in order to attend the funeral of one of David’s cousins in Missouri this Saturday. It is one of the down sides of living long that we have to say farewell to far more family and friends and to hear those sad words, “Sorry for your loss.”

Do you recall the first funeral that you attended, the first family member or friend that you had to wave goodbye to? I do. I was about ten years old when my Uncle Richard, my mother’s youngest brother drowned while fishing with two of his older brothers. Their boat capsized and Buddy the oldest brother, the second best swimmer, rescued Lamar, who could not swim at all. And Richard who was the best swimmer nevertheless could not get out of his boots and water logged heavy coat in time. My Uncle Richard was only seventeen when he died and he left behind a young beautiful wife, Peggy, who was pregnant with his baby daughter Deardra whom he would never know. It was a very sad time in my family and we, those few of us that remain and knew him well still mourned our tragic loss.

I recall a line from the Indigo Girls song All That We Let In that says, “We’ve lost friends and loved ones, much too young, with so much promise and work left undone.” Young or old it is never easy to say goodbye to those we love for any reason especially death. Death is however the inevitable outcome that we all must face and those of us in our mid-seventies and beyond have already marked the passing of so many family members and friends. It therefore behooves us to cherished the family, friends, and time that we have left and to make as many new friends as we can and to become acquainted with the new and younger family members as they come along.

Friends and family are a great comfort and one of the best reasons for sticking around. As today’s song says I also believe that we are better off for all that we let it.

Your friend and fellow traveler,

David James White

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1S_ysLH4hPufXxXOCAbSc9McY3_O0fqmQ/view?usp=drivesdk

All That We Let In