On losing people

A number of people I knew have passed away in the last half-year or so. In the late fall, it was my first boss at my current workplace (I'd not worked with him directly for seven years, but it was always pleasant to run into him in the hallway). In January, it was the CFO at the place I worked in Boston. He was a very kind, friendly, hard-working man, and although I'd not seen him in years, I thought of him from time to time and was saddened by his passing. Later in January, I found out about the family friend (I think I told you about this one, because my parents didn't let me know in time for me to make arrangements to attend the memorial service). His passing hit me the hardest--even more so than when my own second uncle passed a way a month or so ago. And then, just the other day, a (young) colleague of mine--again, not someone I'd been close to recently--was taken from us by ALS. She was a wonderful person, and--not that it matters, but it is what you notice in your colleagues--smart and competent. I talked to her--I did all the talking, because she'd lost her ability to speak, but I saw her struggle to communicate with her eyes, and she conveyed warmth and spirit--when she was in the building for an award ceremony. I didn't really know how to talk to her, and I didn't want to make her uncomfortable, and it was both inspiring and heartbreaking to see her (I can only imagine what her family is going through). I can only imagine what all these people are going through. I mean, people die every day--in earthquakes, shipwrecks, train crashes, shootings--and it's equally horrible. But there's theoretically horrible and personally horrible. I guess all I can say is, my heart goes out to everyone who's grieving.