Vertical and breathing....

[W2DR 1,843]

From my earliest childhood years through my college years there were only five people who were really special to me. Three guys and two gals. I just learned that the last of "The Five" passed away on Thanksgiving day. As I sat here feeling sad and a bit sorry for myself I remembered what an old golfing buddy told me years ago.....no matter how bad life may seem at times it's really all OK.....because you're still vertical and breathing. I guess it just takes losing a few old friends to know just how true that is.

[charliearon 2,820]

Sorry for your loss, Doug!  Getting old sucks at times!  👴

[paddler 63]

Just keep remembering all of those wonderful warm times together, that is what makes you a rich person.

 

[birdguy 3,742]

Sorry for you loss Doug.  The older you get you begin to survive those friends and others who were near and dear to you.  Of the dozen of us who were at the bomb dump at Yokota AFB in Japan in the late 60s I am the only one left.  And I was in the middle of the age group.  Two of them were casualties of Vietnam.  Being the last survivor of a group such as yours carries more significance and introspection.

Noel

[regis9 3,570]

Sorry for your loss.  I lost a friend at 31 and from there on if any of us complain about getting older we always try to remember that the alternative is not good.

Edited December 2, 2020 by regis9

[Mace 1,711]

I feel for you Doug.

I lost one of my best buds at age 47 almost a year ago (Dec 28, 2019) -- he used to go skiing with us and knew his way around the bars.  There was more to him than that.  This is a guy who pedalled his *bicycle* from Jacksonville, Florida to San Diego, CA in only 30 days (back in the 90's -- we were all young once).  Anyway, can you imagine a horse like him deceased??  I can't.  But it happens, we have no control over it.  We have the memories.  No one can take all of the crazy mountains we traversed, away.  He saved me from bad women.  I'll leave it at that, heh.  I'm sure its the same with you.  You have those unique memories.

[0861GUNS 6]

I second what Paddler said. I'm the last of a bunch of Marines who had a lot of great times before and during the Korean War. I can still see them as they were at age 20.

[birdguy 3,742]

I find comfort in writing about them anf the experiences I had with them.  While not using their names they are remembered in the little short stories I write.  

As for my Korean War Marine Buddies I can remember their faces if not their names.  More recently those in my Air Force and National Guard Units.  Now that I am sequestered I have more time to write about those experiences.  I would love to post the one about my first day at boot camp, but so many words not allowed would not be permissible and to take them out would render the story almost meaningless.

We were young once.  And that's what we remember.

Noel

Edited December 3, 2020 by birdguy

[n4gix 4,862]

17 hours ago, birdguy said:

I would love to post the one about my first day at boot camp, but so many words not allowed would not be permissible and to take them out would render the story almost meaningless.

Yet like a true Marine, you improvised, adapted, and overcame linguistic limitations to publish a clean account of the first few days of boot camp!

Oorah!