Unfortunately this is becoming familiar territory for me, but surviving the loss of a friend can be a difficult process — my brother-in-law, but more importantly my friend, Joe passed away last evening. This morning I noticed a few things in my office that Joe had given me. Some things had a meaning, but others were things that I was never sure why I received them.
It occurs to me that while these things remind me of Joe, they’re really just stuff. But stuff goes away. The fact is that the “stuff” Joe gave me, other than being meaningful to me, is in itself meaningless and ultimately worthless.
But Joe didn’t just leave stuff — that doesn’t represent Joe’s life. I think maybe the best way to describe it is that he left behind residue. While I was trying to think of a better word, I looked up the definition of residue. One definition said, “the part that is left after the main part has gone or been taken away.”
So the residue is what sticks or stays. Sometimes you see a glass where the liquid has evaporated away — it’s hard to remove that residue. It’s like it has become a part of the glass.
The residue of Joe’s life is the impact it had on others, even the change in the world brought about by his very existence. I think all of us that knew him were the glasses that Joe poured his life into. Now that he’s been taken away, his residue remains in our hearts and souls, and will endure in our memories. Joe left an intense and lasting residue with all of us.
I never liked the idea of mourning death — I think it’s much better to celebrate the life. So today, my thoughts are simple — Joe will be missed. We have all lost a dear friend. Go in peace Joe, you’ve earned your sleep. Until we meed again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.
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