The man I’ve never met

It’s been a busy week. But I’ll write about that later. This entry is about the loss of a man who I’ve never met; I didn’t want him to be buried in a postscript to a larger post so I will postpone stories of my week until tomorrow.

A dear friend lost someone very close to her in a particularly cruel way. I never met him, but the fondness with which she spoke of him made me wish I did...In fact, I was looking forward to meeting him should we both be in the same town at the same time. He sounded such a warm, vital and generous man. I haven’t had a chance to talk to my dear friend, whether online or on the phone, due to our busy schedules and the acute lack of internet here. But I know that you know I’m thinking of you--constantly--and wishing there was something more practical I could do for you.

The words “he’s in a better place” sound so hollow at this juncture...