Welcome to my blog site and Happy New Year (2022). If you are reading this from decades in the future and absorbing all the content instead of having to actually read the words, that is pretty cool. However, if you are reading this in the conventional fashion, that’s OK too.
Today was and is January 1, 2022…late in the evening (after 10pm Central Standard Time). I’ve been pretty busy with my ‘work’ as the end of the year was a big to-do for financial reasons for the company I work for at present. For the last 11-12 days, the distraction of work has been something of a blessing I suppose. Just like I’m meandering and dancing around getting into the meat of this post, I have spent a week and a half doing much to avoid sitting at this keyboard for this post.
To come out with it, I‘m coping with a loss. To my existence, a crucial loss. Trying to quantify how to convey to my readers the depth of this loss is certainly complicated. If you have someone in your life that you talk to or text on a daily basis multiple times…and have basically done so for almost thirty years, then you can probably slip on my shoes. The loss of my friend Mike after nearly three decades of daily or every other day shared silliness has left me adrift emotionally. Mike was victim of Covid-19 and he drew his last breath in this world on Tuesday, December 21, 2021 at 1:33pm.
Mike was a happy-go-lucky person. He was a brother (to Ken). He was a son (to Leon and Barbara). He was a husband (to Jess). He was a father (to Jacob). And he was a friend (to me and many others). I’m sure he was cousin and maybe some other family designations too, but I’m not Ancestry.com to sort that out.
~~ Blog-A-Sphere ~~ 
Beautifully written. To have had a true friend like that, for that length of time is a treasure. I can understand what an incredible loss this is for you, I’m so sorry.
Beautiful. I understand loss all too well and I am here if you need/want to talk. You pulled me out of some dark places after I lost my son. I am forever grateful and am here in kind. Keep his memory alive, help his family in any way you can, as he would’ve done the same for you. Big hugs!
Scott, I was thinking about Mike today and came across your blog via your Facebook post. Jess is my niece (my husband’s sister’s daughter). We first met Mike in 2012 and soon knew he was the sort of man you’ve perfectly described here: music and sports enthusiast, extremely witty, smart (but too humble to put that aspect on display), and very dedicated to family and friends. I miss his Facebook posts and how the two of you razzed one another. It was clear to see that you two had a very special bond. My heart goes out to you.
Thank you for taking the time to write this. I miss him dearly every day as I’m sure Jess does as well. There’ll never be another like him.