The ambulance arrived early this morning, right after 12:30.
It’s a very close community, so everyone knew. We all waited to hear, somber faces and dreaded anticipation. About an hour ago, we heard.

He is 60 years old. Just turned 60. Vibrant, happy, energetic. He could easily pass for 50. A Veteran. He loves his beautiful Yellow Harley. He starts it up, revs it and drives around the block or a few miles and back just to ride the thing. And his cars; he has several beautifully restored cars. He built his dream house last summer, across from us. Took his Mom in and built it around her. He had saved, and waited his life to have his house. He kept it perfect, enjoying the yard work, making it homey. Fiddling with something here and something there. He waved to me every time I came by, big grin. He’d mow by our mailbox because he knew we were busy. He and my Dad would have teasing contests about what they were going to do, or steal from each other and how they’d know where to find it, and they’d yell across the road “hey good morning!” He just got a dog, and loved it but took delight in the frustration of training it . . . grinning the entire time he was cussing it.
He lives life fully, experiencing it and loving, really living. Living and loving.
He had moved in with a woman he has fallen in love with, and finally felt happy. He threw parties and we all complained about being able to hear him laugh until the wee hours of the morning; not the music or the people or the cars . . . but his laughter.

Shame on us.

He had an aneurism, and is declared brain dead. He is on full life support.

Just yesterday, he waved to me and grinned, he was yelling at his dog and fixing something that really didn’t need to be fixed. Just yesterday! Mere hours in the big scheme . . . . we just never know . . time is so precious and fleeting; we take it for granted all too often . . . in the blink of an eye, things change . . .
The situation makes me want to chase my ghosts and vanquish them, It makes me want to laugh even more, and touch every one of the people I love, every day, in some way. It makes me want to smile more at children and talk with my Elders. It makes me want to LIVE. What good is life if we are not living it, fully? The good and the ‘bad’ . . . it teaches and guides, and it teaches and guides others at the same time.
I think about my friend who just had surgery, and the friend who had surgery a few short years back, I think about the friend who is prescribed “rat poison”. I think about my family and the issues that face them . . . and I am so very thankful for each of the wonderful individuals I am blessed to have in my life . . . despite problems, and disagreements, and silences . . . I would not be as enriched were it not for these angels in my life.
I cherish their daily presence; It makes me want to reach out to every one of the people in my life and tell them “I appreciate you being here, I am so blessed because of you, I want you to carry that in your heart.” . . .

Shu’aashiiniila.