About two weeks ago I had heard a friend of mine was in the hospital. At the time I figured it was asthma due to the vog present during that week, but it turned out to be worse, a massive heart attack. A couple of coworkers and I went to see him the first chance we got. Things didn’t look good. We were warned that even if he didn’t recover he would never be the same. Under such circumstances my coworkers and I were unable to hold ourselves together and broke down a couple of times, but I was amazed at the strength of the family members.  They amazed me with their courage to deal with what they had to deal with and still have energy to greet all the visitors and thank everyone for the support through their tough time.  Unfortunately my friend passed away, but he was lucky enough to be surrounded by the love from his family and friends. As I prepare myself this week to say my final goodbye, I am sadden because a person I had shared good moments with, someone I talked to about sports, food, and plain facts of life will no longer be there to share laughs with me. It boggles my mind how someone you know, someone you talked to, can be there one moment and gone the next. Yes, everyone must ride the train to the afterlife one day, yet it’s difficult to accept when that one person is your friend.  His journey on this world has ended, but I feel another one will begin for him. In that journey life will not be so sad, and there he’ll be smiling and blessing us all from above.