Our friend Randy died this week. Tomorrow we celebrate his life. When friends near our age pass on, it's a hard reminder: We're all just a breath away from death.
Randy lived a life that was wonderful & painful in these latter years. I don't know the details. I just know of what he died--and that ain't easy! But as I know Randy, he bore his pain with grace.
He & his wife were so gracious to us as economic migrants, transplanted yet again; this time to our fifth culture. Our first evening together was punctuated by talk of Dutch life, cross cultural marriage and the best place to buy groceries, interspersed with steaming hot cups of Douwer Egbert's coffee, Old Amsterdam cheese and homemade sandwiches. Heady wonderful talk. Practical down-to-earth talk. And, of course, 'lekker eten'!
Randy, his wife & family left the country to another where I had once lived for a while as squib. He returned to the land of our mutual abode, perhaps to die, or at least, to complete the cycle of his life. Tomorrow we celebrate a life well lived by a wonderful human being; a gem of a man.
We remember you fondly, Randy. We celebrate you & your life's impact on others. Yours was a gentle spirit that lightened the dark.
In the Peace which passes all Understanding.
LankaBlue2.
