Instant Karma

My friend Bill died. Yesterday. At home. Peacefully. With his family around him. Which is what he wanted. More than anything. Or so he said, last Friday at the hospital. And then on Wednesday, his 72nd birthday, they took him home in an ambulance. Set up hospice and not quite 24 hours later, Bill was dead.

As I said, I saw Bill for what has turned out to be the last time, last Friday. My Man Bruce and I went to see him. Which was good. Really good.

The next day my youngest boy told me he was sorry my friend was dying. The oldest boy agreed. And they both asked a few questions. What I told them, I think is important. And it was this.

People who are really sick and / or dying, want to be treated normally, or as normal as possible. A lot of people are scared of death. Of the sick. Mainly because they feel they don't know what to say, or often, that they'll say the wrong thing. But the sick or dying don't expect you to say anything. They just want you to treat them like you've always treated them.

Which is why when I was leaving my friend Bill last Friday I told him, "You look good, man. A lot better than I thought."

He smiled and said, "Gee...Thanks...I guess." And chuckled.

"Yeah," I added. "Damn good for a dying man."

Which made us both laugh.

Until I BLOG again...We all shine on.