He was from the East coast, Italian, and could cook a calzone
that would knock your socks off.
He suffered from severe ADHD. From the outside we (his
friends) accepted this about him and chalked it up to an endearing, sometimes
comical, sometimes annoying personality trait.
Just a part of who he was. He,
however, did not see this as anything but an obstacle in his life, something that
totally f’d it up. He was vocal about
that. We listened. We didn’t know what more to do.
The news this morning started an email/message session among
a circle of friends who knew him while he was here in Minneapolis. With
sentiments like, “I can’t believe it” and, “Just so sad, so tragic”.
As we created a space where we could share our sadness and
start to process our loss, it came to me that this beautiful person (who is
surely at peace now) would want us to celebrate his light and the loving soul that
he is. He would want us to celebrate the times when his smile lit up the room.
And I said so.
This was not the only news I received this morning. I received
news of the birth of a new baby for another friend of mine (which also occurred
last night). And so, I was texting, “How
are you, how is the baby, what color eyes, congratulations, so exciting, etc.”
A brand new beginning. A brand new life with a blank canvas just
waiting to be painted. Hope, love and
joy all in one tiny little bundle. An event to celebrate. I cannot wait to meet
the new little guy.
And I said so.
I am working today. I
am running around preparing for meetings, putting together files, booking
flight arrangements, answering emails. I
am thinking about my friends. I am
hoping that someone said, you matter.
I am wanting you to know that you matter to me. That the world needs you. That if you every feel so much despair that
you want to leave, to call me, to tell me.
I will remind you that you matter.
And I had to say so.
