A reminder to call friends

[drooartz]

I was at the local grocery store after work today, when I heard someone call my name. I don't know too many folks here in town (lived here about a year), but it turns out it was the wife of a guy I used to work closely with a few years ago. I knew they lived in town, but hadn't done much to try to get in touch. Been meaning too, but hadn't gotten around to it

We chatted for a moment, and she asked if I had heard about their accident. Turns out that just after we moved up here they had a horrible accident on the way home from California. They were all hurt badly, and their oldest daughter (18) was killed. I was (and still am to a certain degree) absolutely floored.

I remember seeing a sign up in a local store a year ago that had something to do with a special fund for a family. It gave a name, and I had wondered if it was these folks, but never got around to checking it out. I had meant to look them up, but just didn't, for all the normal reasons.

Now, these are not close friends, but they're good folks that I knew pretty well a few years ago. It's another reminder to me to not wait around when you get that urge to look someone up. There just might be a reason, and you may not get another chance.

 

[kyreb1862]

" It's another reminder to me to not wait around when you get that urge to look someone up. There just might be a reason, and you may not get another chance. "

I don't think I've ever heard it put better my friend. I had something similar once. I ran into a fellow that I had worked with on several road jobs and asked him about his father. I had known his father for years and had worked with him on occasion. He looked at me with a strange expression and told me his father had passed away 2 years before. I don't believe I ever felt much worse than at that moment.

 

[Dave Richards]

Well said, I was given the same reminder just today, when someone told me about an associate dying unexpectedly...