Passing Thoughts
On the four year anniversary of my brother Tony who lost his battle with lung cancer I received a text from a former work mate that my former boss Rick Post lost his battle with lung cancer. When I received news back in November of 2013 that Rick had cancer I was told it was either lung cancer or skin cancer, I later found out it was lung cancer and that he was not responding well to the chemo or radiation. I was saddened deeply to hear of this because I knew what was ahead not only for Rick but for his family. I wish I had not learned of this grim news because I knew that I would someday shortly receive a text or call telling me of Rick’s passing.
I wasn’t shocked to hear that Rick had passed away just made me stop what I was doing and connect the dots. 4 years ago I went into Ricks office and told him that my brother had died and I needed some time off to attend his wake and funeral. I could tell he was genuinely sad for me and told me to take a much time as needed. When I came back he presented me with a card and envelope with money inside that he collected from everyone in the office. As I sat back and reflected on him passing on the same day as my brother 4 years later from lung cancer, I realized that I now knew 3 people that lost their life to lung cancer; my brother Tony, my cousin Theresa and now my former boss Rick.
In my friends grief over Rick she said to me how all the nice people seem to come down with this evil disease and lose their life and how she doesn’t understand it all. I was going to get all spiritual on her but the reality was that I really didn’t understand it either. It all seems unbalanced that nice kind people end up with diseases like cancer and people who live to make other people’s lives hell walk around healthy. I don’t have any answers to that but I do feel that it’s important to not focus on how someone passes or why but to remember them as they were and how they colored your life while they were there.
I wasn’t shocked to hear that Rick had passed away just made me stop what I was doing and connect the dots. 4 years ago I went into Ricks office and told him that my brother had died and I needed some time off to attend his wake and funeral. I could tell he was genuinely sad for me and told me to take a much time as needed. When I came back he presented me with a card and envelope with money inside that he collected from everyone in the office. As I sat back and reflected on him passing on the same day as my brother 4 years later from lung cancer, I realized that I now knew 3 people that lost their life to lung cancer; my brother Tony, my cousin Theresa and now my former boss Rick.
In my friends grief over Rick she said to me how all the nice people seem to come down with this evil disease and lose their life and how she doesn’t understand it all. I was going to get all spiritual on her but the reality was that I really didn’t understand it either. It all seems unbalanced that nice kind people end up with diseases like cancer and people who live to make other people’s lives hell walk around healthy. I don’t have any answers to that but I do feel that it’s important to not focus on how someone passes or why but to remember them as they were and how they colored your life while they were there.