Last Lunch

Today it is so stormy out, it looks like the makings of a hurricane or a good tropical storm.

However, I am going to lunch with a long time colleague who is retiring on Friday. My heart is so heavy. I feel as though I am losing a part of my soul. It has been such a pleasure to have been his friend for so long. He is one of those person’s who is always thinking about the little souls in the world.

For example, when the first soldier to die in the Iraq War was disclosed. He thought to design and build a monument to this young man who came to America from Mexico just to be a part of the US army. This young man with a gallant spirit wanted to be a part of the American experience to serve as a soldier in the war. And so, he admired that dedication to spirit and a cause. He and his students dedicated the memorial to this young man by erecting a shrine among the trees with beautiful wind chimes.

The shrine was so beautiful. One could sit among the wind chimes and listen to them and the birds that flew among the trees in this quiet area of the college campus.

Then, some years ago, he was instructed to dismantle the wind chime shrine, but by now most of his students who had placed the wind chimes were gone, so he had to dismantle it almost single handedly. It really hurt him to his heart because it had a significant meaning to all the fallen soldiers.

Over the years, on Veteran's Day he and his students would read the names of the fallen soldiers aloud. One year it took hours, as they began to run out of readers, I jumped in and read about a hundred or more names. I asked him afterwards, how many names had he collected at that time he said three thousand. There must have been at least hundred or more on my list. The line for the readers was long, but he was determined to have each and every name on the list read even if he had to read each and every one on his own. Believe me, he and a couple of his students stayed at that memorial until every name was read.

When he decided to retire sooner than later because he wants to do some projects that he has been dreaming and talking about for years. After the death of a dear friend, he felt it was time to finish his heartfelt projects. Like many of us retired folks, one begins to appreciate ones mortality as one starts to lose those who are close to us.

Because of his decision, I, too, felt it was time to move on and to pursue a couple of projects I want to complete in my life. So, today at lunch we had a great conversation about where we are going from here. I really felt better after our conversation; knowing that he has great plans and interests to pursue. Now, I really feel that the decision I made to leave is right for my heart and health. After all, this is not a dress rehearsal it is our life.

I truly think that this popular professor will be surely missed.