Thinking Thursday - for Ron.

Yesterday - Thursday - a good friend of the family passed away.  I had known him since I was 3, a neighbor down the street.  When my mom told me, I couldn't say anything for a minute, I just couldn't believe it.  He had been very sick and hospitalized - you would think I would have not been so surprised - but there I was, dumbfounded.  My heart broke for his family, and all of the emotions that I felt when my own dad died, were there with the faces of his own 3 children - one of whom is expecting her first child.  I thought of them all night, wondering how they were doing.  

This man was a good man.  A family man, working practically right up to the very end.  He always had a smile.  He helped me study for the SATs in Math, he was so patient with me bc I never did get it.  He was really funny, and he just made you feel relaxed around him.  

The street I grew up on had a handful of families that were really close with each other, and are to this day. My mom's best friends are these neighbors.  You don't really find that anymore...neighbors that include each other in their daily lives, and really have deep friendships.  When my dad died, these neighbors were there for us, doing everything from laundry and meals to just being there.  I hope this family feels that same kind of love and care in these following weeks - it doesn't make it better, it just makes the day a little more livable.  

I like to think of my dad welcoming Ron in Heaven...patting him on the back...a little too hard, and a little too loud as Dad was apt to do...and Ron just smiling, and laughing.  We'll miss you Ron...you were good to us.