Tuesday – 30 September 2014
I was talking with my friend, Dana, earlier. She was having a very human moment, thinking about a loved one who passed away a few years ago:

Sometimes obvious things set you off – sad stories or movies…sometimes it’s less obvious and less sad. Sometimes the Steelers playing the Bucs hits you hard and you are thankful to have a friend at the bar with you. I know happy things seem life an awful silly reason to cry but that’s the way it is.

I commented to her that missing a loved one is never a silly for crying.

Her comment about football reminded me of my friend, Dave., who died a little over four years ago. I always think of him when the Ravens play the Browns. And the way we’d give each other – and our respective teams – pure hell for the duration of the game. And the often-rum/vodka induced “Who can hit harder” shenanigans that often accompanied those meet-ups.  I miss those times. And, I miss my friend.

It also reminded me of Jessica, whose 40th birthday would have been a few weeks ago.

I had been listening to Bill Withers before we started talking and had let it continue to play in the background. A few minutes into our conversation, Grandma’s Hands came on. That song always reminds me of my paternal grandmother and my maternal great-grandmother.

My great-grandmother died while I was in high-school, long before there were “blogs.” My grandmother died eleven years ago; given the nature of my conversation with Dana, I was reminded of this post I wrote when I learned she passed and this, which I drew for my father a few years ago:

I’d like to thank Dana for the opportunity to remember these people and for good reasons to smile.

Namaste.