Transitory

I was reminded once again of the passage of time. I heard of the passing of a friends father. I went online to read his obituary from the local paper. I learned that he was eighty. Where had that time gone ? I was remembering, and as near as I can figure it has been over forty years since I last saw him. And now I'm reading of his passing. I will forever remember him the way I last saw him, a strong and vibrant man. A big man with a booming voice who spoke with authority. A man, who was described in the local vernacular as, " the finest kind. " A patriot, veteran of the Korean war and leader of men.
His son, my friend from childhood days, I haven't seen in some years. We exchange Christmas cards. He doesn't do Facebook and so I do not interact with him that way either. But, at least for me, the bonds of friendship formed in childhood, are the strongest bonds of all. Upon hearing this sad news I immediately felt his grief and sorrow. I went to the pharmacy and purchased a sympathy card. Inside I wrote a short personal message and posted it the same day. Seems little enough to do. It is this act that reminds me of the passage of time. One of the burdens of age I suppose.
The older we get, the more we contemplate our own mortality. That is only natural. Things like this are reminders. There is little to be done except offer your words of sympathy. I offer the same words in each case, they are not really gone, as long as we remember. That is my belief and what sustains me. Our existence on this earth is transitory. The journey is not complete. Absence really does make the heart grow fonder. I believe we will all be together again.