More empty chairs at the table.

Last week, I received and email from a woman who went to Hialeah High School when I did.
I never knew her then as we had almost 1,000 people in my class, with over 4,500 in the school.

She had placed a message on one of the networking sites I am listed on, to see if anyone had a yearbook from my sophomore year, 1968-69.
As it happened I did.

A man who was in my class had recently passed, and she was responsible for putting together a memorial service for him. It seems there weren't many pictures available.
When I scanned the page that had his picture, I remembered him.
We must have shared a couple of classes. Those years and those bright young faces have dimmed as time has elapsed. That Soph year is now 40 years in the past! Impossible!

I found out later when she emailed to thank me for sending the page that he passed away in a Nursing home. No idea as to what his malady was, but it was left unsaid that he had no family, and was pretty much alone.
She and her husband were kind, and stepped in to comfort and take care of him.
The fact that they raised six children of their own, and taught Special Ed told me the kind of people they were.

The occasion gave me pause to reflect, and a great deal of sadness as well.
I have known of several of my former classmates who have already passed on, some of them I knew well and called friends.
One knows there must be many more that I am not aware of.
As the years continue to fly by, more of us will cross the bridge as well.

I have been blessed with a wonderful wife, a son who has grown into manhood with honor and purpose, and a great extended family to support one another.
Most of us are similarly blessed, but not all.
It is true that we can't go 'home' again, but maybe looking up a schoolmate or childhood friend might shine the light on a need we can fulfill.

In the very least, it will give us pause to reflect, and to give thanks for what we have.

You are in a better place now, Mike and whatever trials and tribulations you had to undergo have now been taken care of by the Master.