NOW IT'S TOO LATE

I was doing some research recently when I decided I would "google" an old high school buddy that I hadn't spoken to in several years. When I entered his name, up pops his obituary. He had died in January. 

 

We called him Mousie. In fact, everyone knew him by that name. In school we were great friends. He was smart and funny. We shared a love for most of the things teenagers enjoyed. We went hunting and fishing together and we loved the music of those days. I doubt that either of us ever thought about our old age.

 

But life, being what it is, has a way of getting in the way of plans. Right after graduation from high school, I joined the army and was sent all over the world. Mousie went on to college then to law school. He ultimately became a judge and served on the bench for over forty years. We 

never really connected for many years. 

 

One day, when my wife and I were traveling near my old home town, I decided to try and call him. Luckily he answered his phone and we met for a cup of coffee. We spent several hours catching up on all that had happened since we had last seen each other. Except for a few extra pounds and some gray hair, neither of us had changed a lot. It was a fun visit. Toward the end we promised to stay in touch and try to see each other more often. Then we went our separate ways. 

 

The purpose of this column is as a reminder. We all have friends from our past that we have lost contact with. Many of the readers of this blog are senior citizens and our old friends and acquaintances are up in years as well. We shouldn't be surprised that on occasion we might see an obituary of an old friend in the paper. George Burns once said that every morning he reads the newspaper, paying special interest to the obituaries. If his name wasn't there, he got up and went about his day. He lived to age one hundred.     

 

My plan is now to reach out more often to old friends. You never know when the time will come that the friend you are reaching out to will no longer be there. Most of us have busy lives that are already filled up with daily living. But, one of the greatest riches one has are friends. And when they are gone, all we have left are our memories. 

 

When you are young you think life goes on forever. When you get older, you come to realize we all have a "use by date". And, of course, we never know when that date is. Do yourself and your old friends a big favor. Reach out to them. Send a note or, if you can, give them a call. You both will be richer for it. 

 

Today, while I was never really close with Mousie in our later years, I have a sense of loss. At the same time I have a sense of the reality of my own "use by date". I wish I had connected again. Now it's too late. R.I.P. Mousie.

 

Ron Scarbro May 18, 2021