To My Friend Rich
"My friend and I are older and younger than everyone, we ride on celestial winds in a great stellar circle, we rope the stars and pull them into us"
If as men we allow ourselves to feel and to express in words our deepest sentiments for each other and we speak gently in that endearing manner from that most private and protected place which resides deep within the secret chamber of our hearts, where men often fear to go, I advance that it is with fondness that I think of you now Rich
From the time I found you wandering this earth, I have felt a strong spiritual connection to you - we were drawn to one other and take refuge in each other’s company, not unlike celestial bodies which are attracted and hold fast to each other in the cold dark reaches of space - eternally bonded, directed by some higher, universal authority beyond our temporal understanding, for some obscure purpose, for some destiny realized but not yet known
With an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and for truth we explored and examined the great marvels of the universe, the mysteries of life and death, tenaciously we chased the meaning of everything - alas our recollection of the past and the future was snatched away from us and for a time our senses are shrouded with a seamless veil of forgetfulness - there is only the now and that universal spirit with which we dance
I recall and recount those many late night conversations that passed between us that included all things that matter and other serious nonsense, and after a time you would reveal, "Do you realize how long we have been talking on the phone d? 2 hours d!" - I would have guessed it was but a moment in time - and of course time did not matter nor affect us as we folded time around ourselves and in the space of that precious moment we shared, eternity swirled about us like solar winds that sail endlessly through the heavens
As we are children of the stars, it is our shared belief that at some point on the shores of some distant galaxy we stood together and looked out upon the great expanse of the universe and made a decision to come to this place for some elevated purpose, to learn or perhaps to teach, maybe to challenge ourselves or to share our being, whatever the reason I have to wonder now my friend, if after the experience if we would have indeed chosen this time this place for a second time, a place where unseen forces of civilizations both young and old collide and struggle to exist in this, the centrifuge of evolution
Although looking back I think we may have been a bit hasty in our deliberation and would have given our decision, which was made at the time~ with the clarity of an evolved being who had all the time in the world, a little~ more thought, maybe 100 years or so - I am unsure which one of us first made the decision to descend into this cauldron of cleansing, this great enigma earth, though I have to believe that we both had a part in it and I would add only that we could not have come here save the other join him in his descent of noble design
When we count our true friends I have you - I have always held that my acquaintances number the stars of the sky, my friends on the other hand I can count on one hand - as we are old souls ours is a friendship which began eons ago bridging all space and time and it is as precious to me as life itself
It is Christmas again and I gaze at the Christmas tree standing silently, serenely in the space of my house reserved for such lofty guests -for you my friend - I marvel at the sparkling radiance of the many lights that adorn its lush and beautiful boughs of emerald green, you are one of those lights Rich
- every one of those countless lights is a soul all connected one to another, each giving off their precious brilliance, illuminating the dark places of this world and providing a lamp which burns brightly in the hearts of men and a beacon which lights their way and guides their footsteps
You said to me once, ''you know d, I need to write a book, " yours wasn't to write it but to inspire others by the living of your life in the same way you have inspired me -for I am charged with recording the treasured thoughts of such men, I am the chronicler of events, experiences, hopes, dreams of yesterday, today and for time to come, the responsibility for the telling of these tales now rests with me
Over the years I have watched you and it is my honor to write this small testament of your life and further share some of those significant contributions which you have laid before the feet of humanity, I will endeavor to capture your spirit here on these pages and for all of the laurels assigned to you and which cannot easily be counted, they are validated by the many you have touched with your kindness and generosity for they will know the truth of it
Rich, never doubt for an instant what you have meant to those of us who now stand in the light of your grace, nor in any way diminish the relevance of your being, or question your value for the life you lived and continue to live is the expression of love here on the earth - to know you is to love you my friend
You have given so much of yourself to all of us without regard for yourself, you have placed the welfare of others well ahead of your own needs and desires - when you were at the lowest point in your life, in the fight for your very life, your health failing you at every turn, abandoned by prosperity, at a time when a bowl of broth became a banquet for you, where every breath literally meant one more moment of life, and a small single chip of ice to cool and satiate your parched lips and tongue was your single craving, fraught with these dire circumstances you were concerned about me, about how I was doing, how I was feeling I was overwhelmed, deeply moved and left with not even the words to express my raw emotion, what I was feeling---- is this not the distinction by which we measure the nobility, goodness and decency of a man, a great man and it this very notion that is the envy of lesser men, I was saddened as I was reminded of my own failures in life to extend to others that most one most precious gift I possess, the gift of myself
All those selfless acts of kindness I had witnessed came rushing into my mind and the very deeds done out of love and concern for others convicted my soul - there was a time when I thought of you as generous to a fault, the fault was mine for the gauge with which I measured wealth and charity was flawed, I am sorry my friend - I have the unlimited resource of your countenance and the immeasurable wealth of your friendship, they were never the dazzling riches of this world and for that clarity I will be forever grateful .
I have seen you Rich, I have watched you as you have opened the door to Calmer's heart, to Pam your trusted, faithful sister and lifelong friend who now holds you in her arms you poured out your love, to the family you have brought unity and a new beginning based on hope, love and support - your many friends and family who return to you now in this, your time of need are the product and expression of the compassion and love you openly gave to others during your life, we all return to you now following a path of your procuring, it is a spiritual path, the work of your hands, the inspiration of your heart and the vision of your soul, it is that spiritual heart of a man, it is the path that leads back to you, and is the gentle footsteps of your friends and family that you feel on the fragile folds of your heart
I can never forget what I consider this most noble and compassionate gesture of your life, as you wrapped up your mother, frail and infirm as she was in her later years in your strong, loving arms and brought her close into you and your loving kindness, and it was with selfless abandon that you cared for her for some years allowing her to live out her remaining days on the earth with dignity, your sacrifice deeply moved me and I will never forget the life you returned to this woman whom regrettably, I only briefly knew and wondered how she must have loved and so admired the son who would set aside his life in order to care for another
To the principles you held so dear all of your life, among them humility, compassion, generosity, forgiveness, benevolence, forbearance, hope, faith and charity - not only words but ideals you lived by as you endeavored to raise the level of consciousness on the planet believing with all your heart and soul 'that indeed, through the power of prayer and the manifestation of love a man could change the course of history and shape worlds, one soul at a time
Oh how short is our time here, and with the sunset upon us we look back and take inventory of what we have given and look upon the inheritance of those we leave and I ponder what we have left undone - you ask did I do enough, I say you did what you could you gave all that you had to give and others who come after us will take up the future - it is time we now look to the horizon
I neglect to speak of it yet I am compelled to now - the thought of you leaving breaks my heart and causes me to weep for my friend, but I know in my heart it is for myself that I weep, and I realize of all the things you were able to affect and for all of the strength and spiritual power you possess, you cannot repair a broken heart, alas my friend only time will heal it
I will find you again my friend look for me on the horizon of eternity on the day of my passing, when it is my time, may I show a crumb of the grace and dignity you display at your end - your pain is my pain and that I will carry with me until we again meet on that distant shore
Rich I need you to know that I believe in you and all that you stood for, you are the best of us and I will follow in your footsteps - you are the example, my teacher, my mentor, my friend
I know that soon you will again go into that celestial light from whence we came, the veil will be lifted and you will see eternity - thank you for sharing the adventure with me - I have been and will always be your friend throughout all time
Remember me
d
My promise to you my old friend, I will leave all that I touch in this life with
this one thought, mined from your profound wisdom:
"Love you withhold in this life will be the pain you will carry lifetime after lifetime"
________________________________________________________________
My Eternal Friend
He bears the treasures, tales, and totes
Of many lands he's trod
He shares his many gathered wares
Collected from abroad
He draws the drapes which shade my heart
And let's the light bleed through
And smiles at what the light reveals,
A room with wondrous views
While grounded to the earth beneath
That may or may not be,
But of the stuff that made the stars
And light by which we see
In counting down our earthbound years
A measure to this end,
I muse the countless time I'll spend
With my eternal friend
For we are pieces of a whole,
A grander scheme than we,
Though scattered through all time and space
He bears a piece of me
He well may start a masterpiece
He labors to refine,
The brush of inspiration 's shared
The final stroke is mine
d
(looking forward to eternity - see you there, my friend) written - work in progress for many years
(All Rights Reserved) 41 (Copyright © 2008 DWMcNabb)