He was a friend of mine

Yesterday afternoon, sometime after 3:30 pm, mine and Larry's dearest friend Ronald died of a massive heart attack. He was alone in his and his wife's photography studio. He was 54, leaving a wife, 2 children, a son-in-law and a daughter-in-law and four lovely grandchildren.

A very few of you were lucky enough to meet him and luin77 was lucky enough to spend some time with him when she visited us. She sent this poem when my Sara died and I want to post it today in Ronald's memory. Godspeed, Ronald.


Death is nothing at all
I have only slipped away into the next room
I am I, and you are you.
Whatever we were to each other
That we still are.

Call me by my old familiar name
Speak to me in the easy way which you always used
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.
Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes
We enjoyed together.

Play, smile, think of me, pray for me,
Let my name be ever the household word that
It always was.

Let it be spoken without effort,
Without the trace of a shadow on it.
Life means all that it ever meant
It is the same as it ever was
There is absolutely unbroken continuity.

Why should I be out of mind because I am
Out of sight? I am but waiting for you
For an interval
Somewhere very near
Just around the corner.
All is well.

~~Canon Henry Scott Holland (1847-1918)