Things done and left undone
My friend T died yesterday. He and I are/were about the same age.
His death came too soon after Bruce’s death on Oct 2nd.
I first met T about ten years ago. I was a candidate for the Rectorship of a Parish in Ft. Myers, FL, and he was on the Search Committee. He was one of the two token liberals from an otherwise very conservative Parish.
I withdrew from that search, and it was just as well. Soon after they called a new Rector, the other liberal ran away with a prominent parish member. She and he have never been heard of since.
But T and I stayed in touch through the years. And we were each delighted when I retired to this neck of the woods last year.
The Rector whom they called is a most generous man. He asked me to “supply” for him earlier this summer, which I was honoured to do. That I did and T and I had a lovely lunch after service.
T was one of the saddest people I’ve ever met. Through a combination of a miserable up-bringing, some bad choices, and some rotten luck, his life was dominated with bad health and a multitude of neuroses. Nothing went right for T.
But he was always supported by the generous brother; by a a caring Rector; and by L (who grew up at St. Stephen’s, Pittsfield, and has a generous heart).
T went into liver failure about two weeks ago. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, and I had planned to visit him. But I shilly-shallied about the 90 mile drive, and left it too late. He died before I got to see him. I wish that I had made a more determined choice to drive from SRQ to Ft. Myers. But I did not.
Our liturgical confession prays for forgiveness for “things done and left undone”. I left my visit to T “undone” and I am pissed off with myself.
His death came too soon after Bruce’s death on Oct 2nd.
I first met T about ten years ago. I was a candidate for the Rectorship of a Parish in Ft. Myers, FL, and he was on the Search Committee. He was one of the two token liberals from an otherwise very conservative Parish.
I withdrew from that search, and it was just as well. Soon after they called a new Rector, the other liberal ran away with a prominent parish member. She and he have never been heard of since.
But T and I stayed in touch through the years. And we were each delighted when I retired to this neck of the woods last year.
The Rector whom they called is a most generous man. He asked me to “supply” for him earlier this summer, which I was honoured to do. That I did and T and I had a lovely lunch after service.
T was one of the saddest people I’ve ever met. Through a combination of a miserable up-bringing, some bad choices, and some rotten luck, his life was dominated with bad health and a multitude of neuroses. Nothing went right for T.
But he was always supported by the generous brother; by a a caring Rector; and by L (who grew up at St. Stephen’s, Pittsfield, and has a generous heart).
T went into liver failure about two weeks ago. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, and I had planned to visit him. But I shilly-shallied about the 90 mile drive, and left it too late. He died before I got to see him. I wish that I had made a more determined choice to drive from SRQ to Ft. Myers. But I did not.
Our liturgical confession prays for forgiveness for “things done and left undone”. I left my visit to T “undone” and I am pissed off with myself.
Prayers for T, his family of birth, and his family of choice, and all who loved and will miss him. I'm sorry you missed seeing him. :(
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