They say that death comes in threes, but last week I was hit with a four pack. Classmate, local running friend, friend from a local winery, and a coworker. Boom. All came out of the blue, and all died before their time, or what I thought was their time. Of course death has no timetable, but we often seem to forget that.

The time I’d last seen any of the four varied from a few days, to a couple months, to a few years, to a lifetime ago. And yet, memories of each of them flooded my mind. I think the time proximity of their deaths accentuated the memory blast. It seemed almost over the top for a bit, and then settled back into levelness.

Today, I was at the funeral service for one of them. My mind wandered during the ceremony and I spent the time thinking about all four. I wasn’t seeking answers so much, as I was thinking about the shortness of life. Their lives, my family’s lives, my life.

It was raining while driving back from the funeral. My friend Joe and I discussed the suddenness of our friend’s death and how much we would miss him. We also discussed the future and what it held for each of us. I suppose it’s a common enough story to have those discussions when you reach a certain age. We always know that death is somewhere in the future, but when it appears so suddenly for others, it makes you think a bit more about life, or at least it has for me.

John, Kyle, Jane and Vish – I will do my best to remember you and remember your names. I hope to honor you by showing love to my family and friends, and living my life to the fullest.