Dr. Christopher Spradley - a man who got right to the heart of people

I have no words of wisdom, and no smile to offer today. I wanted to. I wanted to have a smile to share because I know many of you are hurting out there today. But today, it's just too hard. I have too many friends whose hearts are crying out in anger, pain, fear, confusion, despair... We take for granted that the people we love will be here. When they leave unexpectedly, it's a blow, a huge blow. There are people whose lives cross our paths, and who touch our souls with their light, and they don't have to be close close friends - just knowing them adds brightness to your life. Those are the people you remember fondly, and you're eager to see them at the next event, the next party, and somehow, time gets in the way. Then you are suddenly surprised by his or her presence in the most unexpected place. You have a wonderful hug. You talk about the local gossip and exchange a ton of snarky comments (LOL! I'll miss that the most. Who will be snarky with me now?). You call each other soul brother and soul sister, just from the sheer silliness of it all. And you go home thinking that you'll stop by their place later this week. You send a post to let that person know how MUCH you enjoyed seeing him that night, and your friend likes that post back almost immediately. That damn Apple Watch! LOL! You had just set it to match your red and yellow shirt!  smile emoticon  heart emoticon

Then you wake up - and he's gone. All that time you thought you had to catch up, and to laugh, and to talk about politics, and medicine, and Mimi's drinks, is gone. I know I'm not the only one today thinking about last night, and wondering why we just didn't put a little MORE effort into letting you know how much you meant to us. How much you touched our lives, even if we didn't see each other everyday. How much your smile, grit, and sparkle kept us going when our times were dark. How much it meant that you believed in the young people of our village. How important it was that you employed and nurtured our children and our students. 

No, I just don't have the energy to give that smile today. Today, I lay down my warrior's sword and shield. I walk away from the battlefield, briefly. There is a sadness and time for mourning away from the wars we fight everyday. There are others who need the strength of the warrior without the blade and gauntlet right now. A warrior's job is to take care of the defenseless, to stand between the enemy and what is held sacred. That stand doesn't always involve fighting. Sometime, the stand is wrapping arms around those dear, and shielding them from further pain. Those are the times the warrior cries, and those tears cleanse, purify, and heal the wounds.

Treat each other a little more kindly today. Make that extra effort to tell someone that you care about them when you normally wouldn't. Hold your loved ones close. Don't waste your chance to stand between the enemy and those you hold dear. Slow down. If your tasks don't get accomplished today, so what? Those are tasks. They will be there whether you are or not. The people in your life? There are no guarantees. Make sure they know today they have your affection and love.

When he shall die,
Take him and cut him out in little stars,
And he will make the face of heaven so fine
That all the world will be in love with night
And pay no worship to the garish sun.

Now cracks a noble heart. Good night sweet prince

And flights of angels sing the to thy rest...