Funny Story

The previous entry was about Mike, my sister Cindy's good friend. Her soulmate. (Cindy, by the way, is older sister, not little sister.) It was Mike's desire to be cremated and have his ashes scattered in the San Francisco Bay. The cremation was somewhat hindered, by reasons unknown to us all... but Cindy was finally able to obtain his ashes yesterday, eleven days after his death. Cindy and Tami (oldest sister) had purchased a beautiful basket to keep Mike in until such a time as Cindy can make the trip west. (Likely to take place in a couple of months... with little sister, Pedi. :) ANYWAY, last night, there was a knock on Cindy's door and it was the local police and fire department, alerting her to some sort of chemical leak eminating from next door, which would would require her IMMEDIATE evaucation of the premises... adding that the place could blow at any moment! Well Cindy rushed upstairs (before they could stop her) and retrieved the beloved basket from her bedroom, before getting into the car to leave.

We've gone ahead and summed up the evening's events as "Hauling Ash!"

How Do We Measure A Man?

Little sister said, “A good man died today.”
I always struggle with that word “good.”
It means different things to different people…
and yet another thing to society, in general.

Mike was fifty-two years old when he succumbed to the effects of this life
on his body this past New Year’s Day.
He had never accomplished anything of note.
He had spent his life indulging in many things,
some of which contributed to his demise.
Like most of us, he loved good music, good friends and good times.
To a passer-by, he might be seen as an example of a wasted life.
He had not planned for his future, nor even for the end of his future.
He lived one day at a time, and he lived each one abundantly.
His daily living expenses were provided by the state.
Mike wasn’t overly handsome. In fact, you could say that
physically, he was not attractive at all.
But he was one of the most beautiful human beings I have ever known.
When Mike looked at you, he looked at your spirit.
He was someone who always told you that you looked fantastic.
And he meant it.
Because he knew your heart and measured you by it.

When I made a decision to end an oppressive marriage of eighteen years,
Mike was astonished to find people saying of me, “Oh it’s so neat to see
Teri become such a free spirit.” He would reply, “No, no, no…
Teri has always been a free spirit… someone just parked a
semi-truck on her for awhile!"

This man seemed to have nothing but good things to give.
I looked up the word “good” in the dictionary.
Under the first entry, one of the definitions was “bountiful.”
By this definition, then truly, a good man died that day.
We’ll miss you, my friend.

Inspired by Leila (and Dan)

It’s the Way of the Cat

She has a penchant for climbing.
How they love high places!
Observing from the balcony ledge…
You feel that tingle of fear… will she fall?
Your sweet baby… whatever would you do without her!
How can she be so oblivious to your dread?
She’s aloof about so many things.
This is her charm… and your aggravation!
But when she comes to cuddle…
And purr…
You forget all that.
It’s all worth it.
She’s worth it.
And you wouldn’t have her any other way.
(Not that she’d let you ;)

The Conclusion of the Matter:

I'm not sure it really is in our nature to be with someone for the rest
of our lives just because you made this pact. You keep going as long as
you keep growing. When that dies, we do.

Brad Pitt