Passing Friends

I've had a tough day.

Normally I don't blog about tough days but today was difficult.

There was an immediate family situation I won't discuss and there were concerns with the work I do in terms of the health and welfare of employees that I can't discuss.

Overarching in its way was the death of an old friend, Richard Richhart. His wife passed away 14 months ago and he passed away last week. Word reached me in a round about way because his family didn't know how to contact me.

The value of old friends is that they understand us and we understand them in the context that comes through years of interaction. There are very few if any people left that knew me when I was young. He was about the last. The context of years helps us bridge the journey over decades and allows us to understand each other in fundamental ways that can't be examined with short term acquaintances.

I will miss him.