Yesterday I heard the news of the passing of an old friend. This man is of the generation previous to my own. That is to say a contemporary of my parents. As I thought about him, remembering the man, the thought came to me. He was perhaps the last of a certain generation that I knew personally. I called my brother soon after hearing that news, as he is one of a very few that would know who I was talking about. I mean, one of a few that share mutual memories of him. This man was well known. I'd place him in the "icon" category. A beloved "character" for certain. At least in my eyes he was. I haven't seen him in many years and now he is gone.
It is the thought that he was the last of a generation that sticks in my mind. I can think of no other living person from that generation that I knew personally. My brother reminded me that is probably because of our ages. I'm 68 and he is 72. We are quickly becoming the "oldest" generation. It's a strange thought, but a reality. We have become the older folks. Yes there are still plenty of people older than ourselves, but those ranks are thinning. It is estimated that only a little more than half a million veterans of WW2 are still living today in America. There were about 16 million! Soon, a generation past.
Once again I feel the passage of time. The clock has struck another hour with that news. I was saddened and shocked. This past May my Mom passed. My Dad has been gone for thirty one years. I have photographs and memories of them, and many more of their generation, but now it feels like the book is closed. It is an awareness. All one can do is absorb the shock and move on, their memories aren't going anywhere without me. I do feel a sense of responsibility to them, to keep their memories alive. Chaucer is credited with saying. "time and tide wait for no man" and there is no disputing that. It's just that every once in a while, it pauses, if you are aware of that. Happened to me yesterday. A generation past.
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