we buried cousin phil in the desert yesterday.
the iconoclast. the unconventional. the contrarian. he was one of my best friends.
in the absence of a brother, phil -- and my other male cousin -- filled that role. and so it was with great sorrow and gladness that brian and i accepted the invitation to speak about phil at the services following the burial yesterday in tucson.
we shared stories and remembrances of phil with an overflow crowd, which included all of my family.
the show of family strength was impressive; the time with family was glorious, and served as a powerful reminder of the role of family in times of need and grief.
and now, home, separated from the strength in numbers and the joy and novelty of a family reunion, the grief is sharper. the numbness is wearing away to reveal the loss is real. i feel the sting.
it is a stark reminder of james' observation: we are but a vapor. with what arrogance we assume that we will have tomorrow to enjoy each other.
let us, then, appreciate the beauty of friendship and the gift of life we share today.
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