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As you regulars here know.... I've now lost two Friends and watched their tortured Families deal with it in the last three weeks. Both guys were much too young to leave us... both 49 years old. They were both good men with good Families.
I ask that those of you that are so inclined to please do the following to Honor my two Friends and their Families.
Tomorrow, at some point during your day, take just a few moments to think about the things that are really important in your life. Think about how fotunate you are and be Thankful. Just sit back, close your eyes, and think..........
Peace to you my Brothers...........
Mike, Will do. Should be something we all do on a frequent basis.
I will do Mike. I'm sorry for your loss. I cannot imagine
what their familiies are going through.
The health problems which I continue to have forced me to
focus on every good thing I have.
peace my friend.
Tomorrow, I begin a vacation with my family. Actually, it's like two vacations. The first is 3+ days with my son Alex and a good friend (Matt) and his son (Matt Jr.). We're all going to Florida to take in some spring training games in Tampa and just chill out. Matt is the coach of our baseball team and I am an assistant. The boys also play together on our city's local Select Soccer team (two time District 6 Champions....District 6 is apparently one of the largest in the country). On Saturday, Matt's wife and daughter are flying out with the Lovely Mrs. Schro and my daughter Nicole and we're staying a week.
It's funny you make this request Mike. Recently, I've been very reflective on all the positives going on around me. Yeah, work has been a real pain recently, but I should be thankful I have a job. Granted, it has been extremely demanding recently, but it does provide me with a lot of time to be involved with my kids' activities, which we all appreciate.
The other day, I was telling the Lovely Mrs. Schro how proud I am of our kids. Both kids are on the honor roll, both are gifted athletes, both show respect to their elders, and both have bright futures. My relationship with The Lovely Mrs. Schro is as solid as ever, and everything is pretty darn good.
So, as I am waiting at the airport for the plane, and I'm enjoying an adult beverage with Matt, I'll raise a glass in honor to your friends Ray & Frank, and toast the positive impact they made on the people around them!
God Bless!
Schro
I've been where you're at, and frankly you never leave it, you miss your friends. But I think you'll find, as we have, that it grows or matures into a deeper friendship with the families--and it is very rewarding. Consider making sure their families are included. Without intending to sometimes w/o the guy there, the families are left out of activities all shared during their lives, even if it's just sitting around for hamburgers and a few brews on a Sunday afternoon pre or post game or whatever. It takes a conscious effort, but it makes a real difference in the lives of the surviving family members.
Saint makes a terrific point. Thoughts and prayers going out to the family.
Mission Accomplised - and thank you for reminding me to do this
I would back up what others have said about including people whose family have just passed- having been a member of a family that has gone through loss (3 dead in one car accident) you really do appreciate being included in the land of the living - even if you cannot fully participate - and if folks can give you the space to be a little wacky (i.e. my 15 year old sister died and I had to leave the room if a teenage girl who looked anything like her came into the room) thats even better
Mike, great post, in the matter of two weeks my Brother's best friend's mom died of a heart attack and my good friend Robert's wife passed away form emphysema and then the next day his mom died....it sucks when sometime's the only time people will ever gather thing's in perspective or not take thing's for granted is when it's on someone else's misfortune or tragedy.
Like Mike says : Peace to you my Brothers...........