Embrace life

I just need to talk....

After a phone call with a friend, a story I will get to in a minute, I just sat down and watched Barbara Walter's special with Patrick Swayze. I had recorded it last night, not wanting to get upset before I went to bed, knowing I would have time to watch it alone with my tissues this afternoon. I have been a fan of his for years, ever since I was first introduced to him in Dirty Dancing. I've seen and liked almost all of his movies. An incredibly strong person, he always plays strong, yet soft and caring, characters. It is hard to see him now fighting for his life. Seeing him looking so frail in the interview just brought back images of my Grandfather, a once very proud man, reduced to the shell of who he once was prior to his death. Patrick is fighting his cancer with every ounce of his being and with an aggression and obstinance that I hope he can hold onto for for a much longer period of time so that he can beat the odds. The world would be a lesser place without him. In my time, we have lost too many other greats, people I grew up with. Jim Hanson, Michael Landon and many others. Patrick, I wish you the best and keep fighting, we are not ready to loose you yet.

Now, back to my friend's phone call. She and her family had moved to Texas this summer and now live on a fairly quiet street. She happened to look out the window and noticed a few police cars in front of one elderly (at least she thought so) neighbor's house. A few moments later an ambulance arrived and more police. It was obvious that something was wrong. She later found out that this so thought elderly man had been found dead on his property. He was described to me as a man so protective of his privacy that his neighbors had been trained to leave him be. He was not unfriendly, just wished his privacy be respected. So as they drove past his house, out of respect for him, they did not look down his driveway, or glance at his house. If they had, he may have been found. See, he has cut down a tree in his yard, which fell across his driveway, hooked up his tractor and was in the process of pulling the tree to wherever he had planned to dispose of it. Something tragic occurred, most likely a massive coronary, and he passed away on his tractor, tree still attached and blocking his driveway, very visible from any car passing his house. This, according to the coroner, happened on either Thursday or Friday. He was found by a friend, after not showing up for a scheduled meeting, outside, on his tractor, on Monday! This poor man so secluded himself from society that even once he passed away, he was not noticed by neighbors that drove past his house daily and out of respect, did not pass a glance in his direction. I have to stop and wonder, was it worth it?

Take a minute and check up on neighbors. This man was assumed to be in his mid 70's. In reality, he was only 57! Too young to die alone and unnoticed.