Life is Too Short

Life is too short. There is never enough time. Those are the words that keep running through my mind. I want to introduce you all to someone. This is my friend Joel. He was a beautiful soul, sometimes trapped within a tortured body. I say was because Joel passed away recently. It doesn't seem fair but then again, does death ever seem fair?

I met Joel what seems like a million years ago. He lived in England and I lived in Michigan. Perhaps some would say that we had nothing in common and yet somehow, we clicked with one another. As time went by, as too often happens, childish things get in the way of friendships and even though you're still friends, you allow life to get in the way and you lose touch. Then, out of the blue, you get a phone call that you never see coming. Your friend is gone. It seems cruel and unfair. It doesn't seem real. How could this larger than life personality be gone from this world? Then suddenly it hits you and you're dropped to your knees, tears running down your face as you fight against the pain that has gripped your heart and a part of your soul.

Then slowly, through the haze of your tears, you see a hand reaching out to you. Together, you draw one another to your feet and you hold on. You hold on and you remember this beautiful soul that ties you to one another. You hold on and you know that he wouldn't want you to have regrets. He would encourage you to grab ahold of life and to grab onto all the opportunities that you have in front of you. He would want his death to serve a purpose, not just to have been a flash in your life.

So, Joel, I'm holding onto your memory. I'm holding onto your friends and we're looking to the future. You may not be with us in person, but your spirit will remain here in our hearts. We won't let go. Trust me, my friend, when I tell you that you've changed our lives. You've changed them for the better with your sweetness. You've given us the gift of you and it's allowing us to look at our lives and to make the changes that we need to. I will forever thank the gods that I had the chance to know you. This is not farewell but save me a spot at the bar.



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