Time passes.............

[Bob Wright]

In yesterday's newspaper I saw the obituary for my first "real" girl friend. She was my high school sweetheart, and we continued to date after graduation. She went to college, working her way along, and I joined the Army. On my last leave home prior to shipping out for Korea, we still dated but sort of cooled or romance. While I was in Korea she sent me a "Dear John" letter and that ended that. I did see her after I returned, but while we reamined friends, our romance was over. She married after that, but was divorced a short time later. I knew her family well and still heard from them all for awhile.

Now I read that she has died. There were never any lingering romantic feelings. But still there is a feeling, don't know what, about her death. Sort of like an era is coming to an end.

There used to be an old black woman whose episodes were written up by columnist Eldon Roark, and her closing line was "Remember, God is in the plan."

Bob Wright

 

[RugerHound]

The passage of time is relentless. I spent much of the past 40 years trying to find an old friend I knew in elementary school. Through a complete fluke via facebook, I found out that he died quite some time ago. I never found out what kind of life he had... What he did, or how he came to such an early demise.

Time is a mean ole mistress... Enjoy every minute of what's ahead.

 

[jack]

Our time here is "precious". We tend to forget it and think we are "invincible" (especially when we are young).

I try to live in the "present" and be prepared for the "future". Those "good ole days" really weren't.

 

[blackhawknj]

I had a college friend/shooting partner/ Army ROTC buddy, a year behind me, he helped me celebrate my commissioning in 1976, I helped him celebrate his commisioning in the Marines in 1977. Last heard from him in 1981. Looked him up on the Web a few year ago, found out he was a lawyer in Arizona. Was is the word, found he passed away in 2002-only 46.

 

[bobski]

i learned of the passing of a girl i knew and was stationed with numerous times. we dated but nothing became of it. she went on to be married 3 times, all short marriages. it was sort of like i was meant to be 'rescued' from her, and was, but i was still friends with her. then we didnt see or hear from each other for 15 years. one day she showed up on my door with a daughter and said hello. i was divorced at the time and so was she. she was on her way to ohio and wanted to stop in and catch up on things. great time. she left. i got married to someone else. she invited us both up to her new life in ohio, she was remarried.....we wished her well....and it was the last time i saw her alive.
9 years later her daughter called me and told me she passed 9 years ago.
shock and saddened doesnt explain the feelings i had. at 49, she died in her sleep.
i still mourn her loss because i cant understand it.
but the only way i can look at it and i hope you do too is...they are in our future to welcome us aboard when its our turn to cross decks and transfer.
until then, i will continue to enjoy everyone here the best i can.
i never believed it when i was young...but the older we get, the faster the sundays come and go.

 

[vito]

Its an undeniable sign of getting older when childhood friends start to pass away, and not at some unusually young age. I've long ago lost touch with all of my old high school era friends, but have heard second hand about the passing of a few. Makes me realize that not only am I lucky to still be on the green side of the grass, but that I need to make the best use I can of the time remaining to me. I worked full time for 48 years, retiring at age 70 when I really thought about the reality that a good paycheck is nice, but I can never recover lost time. I promised myself that if I made it a year after I retired I would stop regretting working until 70, and its now getting close to two years. Time is all we really own so we each need to use it well.

 

[Colonialgirl]

Well, back in 2009 I went to my 50 Yer Class Re-Union; It was sad looking at the board listing all those classmates that had passe away, some shortly After graduation. One just a week after graduation in an Auto accident up in Fort Carson where he was stationed as part of his Army National Guard training.

 

[737tdi]

Guys and Gals: I know a lot of y'all despise sites like Facebook but they do have some positives. Also sites like "Together We Served". I have communicated with so many folks I new decades past. It can be sad and it can be rejoicing. I had a lot of friends in the 10 years I served in the Corps.

A short story. I had a Gunny who I only knew for about four years. Awesome guy, Awesome Marine. We communicated through Facebook via our squadron page. We talked, joked, reminisced, and it was good stuff. About 6 months ago he died with the dreaded "widow maker" heart attack. Although horrible, it was special that we had been able to connect. We had both talked the day before. Although horribly sad it was worth it to have communicated with him for a couple of years prior.

The same is going on now with another buddy I had in the Corps. He is not long for this earth but it is great just being able to communicate with him and his family.

Facebook may be horrible but if you get in the groups that you were a part of it is a helluva good thing. There are pages for most every squadron, unit, company, battalion etc.. You might be surprised at the names you see and the conversations that you may have.

Same with your graduating classes, whether college or high school.

Not trying to talk you into joining but you would/will be amazed at who you can find.

JMO

Karl

 

[stevemb]

Thank you Mr Wright for sharing this.

 

[willk]

During my last year of teaching, I was helping a student work on an English paper that required to use people of different skills using the letters of the alphabet. We were having issues finding someone with a skill starting with the letter "P" So, I made the brilliant mistake of saying, my old girlfriend's name that started with the letter "P." (That would be the girlfriend I had prior to meeting my current girlfriend, significant other and best of all one and ONLY wife, and yes they are one in the same ) So I suggested we look her up on the internet as she was now a fairly well todo small business owner.

What did we find? her Obituary. She died the month before. I was rather shocked as I have such a hard time with people my age dying. We are all still so young.

Yes time is cruel but still at 66 I feel very young.