I’ve been away on a break for a few weeks, hence the quiet blog. Where generally folks use New Year’s to ponder their annual goals, I do that during the summer break as a mental reset. And this year was an interesting one. Within about a week two meaningful events occurred.

First, a great friend’s father passed, a man I knew for over 30 years and treated everyone as his best friend. It was relatively quick, and he went out with a giant grin. He was a man with infinite energy and boundless optimism. Truly a fascinating character and no matter how bad a day you may have had, he was enthused to make it a good one. He embodied the adage that ‘a stranger is just a friend you haven’t met’.

Second, Belghast passed away. A year to the day that he lost his wife, and nearly 6 months from when he shared he had cancer. ‘Pillar’ is a term that is thrown about, and in this case it’s certainly apt. Blogging is everywhere and in today’s age, one of the most archaic forms of sharing if you’re not using some sort of AI tool and recipe hunting. Bel found a way to bring more people under the tent (Blaugust) and somehow found time to share his passion for gaming on a near daily basis. His was one of the few blogs I checked on a near daily basis… and as a habit I still do, until it hits that we won’t see anything more. He’s frankly the reason I played FF14 and enjoyed the time spent in there with him and the guild.

It’s an interesting thing this concept of life, as ephemeral as it is. I’m at that age where there are way more funerals than weddings, way more divorces than baby showers. The absolute certitude of youth is replaced with a sort of melancholic acceptance of loss of control.

It reminds me of a sci-fi trope that immortality is a curse, where true appreciation is bound by the loss of something. The act of procrastination or deference to a future date is pushing out the ability to enjoy what you have today. There are so many things that can happen tomorrow that you can’t control, and if you can do something today, you generally should.

My friend’s dad lived every day like it was going to be his last. Nearly his entire life that way. Bel shared what he had with what tools he had on a near daily basis, spreading the good word of community and gaming as a way to bring people together. Neither made excuses, they just appreciated and moved forward.

If there’s a resolution or attempt I want to spend my energy on, it’s exactly that. Appreciate the day. Appreciate the gift of the people around me. Cause tomorrow is another day that may not bring that gift.