Loss

I recently learned that a former friend has lost his father, a man that I also knew and remember with great fondness.

I know that everyone eventually dies and yet that knowledge does little, if anything, to quell the sadness that has washed over me.

The loss for the family is great as he was a really great guy.

Anytime I hear of someone losing their father the pain returns. I can fully empathize with that person's loss as I have "been there, done that."

In fact, there is not a day that goes by that I don't miss my dad.

Yes, I know that he "is with me all the time," blah, blah, blah...

Nice thought but it's just not the same as hearing him laugh.

I miss him.

I really, really miss him.

Some days the pain is nearly crippling. Other days it's just a dull throb but the pain always seems to be there always rearing up when something triggers it.

Today it was the loss of a former US F-Class Rifle Team member. We shot together in South Africa in 2005. We shot together on teams in Canada. We were teammates, competitors and friends.

He made me laugh.

His loss takes just a little bit of laughter out of my life.

May he rest in peace and may his family find comfort in the thought that his passing through the heavenly gates has restored him to health.