Today a friend passed away. But I don't like that phrase. Neither do I like 'moved on' or even 'went to a better place'. It's as if he has decided to pack up and move to one of those fancy gated communities. And certainly not 'died'. "Died" and "death" has such a fatal and final ring, don't you think?Death is not final. Death is a door, an event through which we participate for a moment. Then death is no more, not for my friend, nor for us whom he has left to endure in our mortal coil. For us death is the eventuality guaranteed by our birth. So we wait.
My friend? Ah, he was one of those vibrant beautiful souls. Before he moved away from my neighbourhood, we used to meet pretty often at our local coffee shop. Sometimes early in the morning, and other times late at night (to catch his favourite English soccer team, Arsenal, on TV).
He was kind, he was patient and honest. But more than that, for the sinner he was certainly one of the most entertaining person I have ever met. I shall not talk much about him. It's not as if he has left for anywhere. For in my heart he shall always be my amazing friend. May God, the Friend of Friends, bless his sweet smiling soul, as how I still remember him to be...
9. Friendship
Friendship is the remembering of kindness,
The forgetting of slights,
The praising of virtues,
And the acceptance of failings.
It is the meeting off two soul-birds who greet each other;
“Come as you are for I want neither more nor less of you,
And I shall come as myself, as in truth, your servant.”
Friendship is the remembering of kindness,
The forgetting of slights,
The praising of virtues,
And the acceptance of failings.
It is the meeting off two soul-birds who greet each other;
“Come as you are for I want neither more nor less of you,
And I shall come as myself, as in truth, your servant.”
My only sadness is that I was not a better friend. Such is the sorrow of a sinner, you see - when it comes to love and friendship, we shall always be debtors... never having requited in full the love given to us. May God forgive my deficit, and bless my friends...
So do not be like me, sunshine. Be a great friend to your friends.
Pax.
I say to precious friends when they have to discard their bodies for awhile…
ReplyDeleteThank you for your life, you made this world a much better place,
Thank you for your friendship, you made my world shine and will continue to do so.
Happy trails to you…until we meet again.
(Last line as sung by Roy Rogers in the old cowboy movies, versions on YouTube)
yes. Friends as those wonderful smiling cowboys in 'injuns that dot our lives and make it so much better with their gait, and their quick draw of jokes and puns. Friends... the icing on the cake, the cream in the coffee, making sweet what is bitter. Friends... crazy and lovelorn... to the bitter sweet end! Wuu Huuu!
ReplyDeleteTHank you for sharing, Anon.
Pax Taufiqa