Irish Wake
Yesterday night I went home for my godfather's party, held in a banquet hall. He's got about a year left to live, and he has a walker now from the ALS. I never knew him all that well, nor did he know me, but he's a close friend of my dad's. The purpose of the night was to raise some money for him, and above all else get people together and laugh. Everyone that spoke, including my dad, told these remarkable stories and jokes and threw insults back and forth. And here was a man, looking death in the face, and laughing through the entire night. For someone I barely know, I saw so much of myself in him. It was strange and it was beautiful.
Now I'm left wondering how this relates to my life. Lately I've been wondering if the friends I've made are good friends, if they're more work buddies forced to cohabitate than people who care and want to hang out. And if I were dying 30 years from now, would loved ones think of throwing together a party where everyone could laugh and celebrate a man's life, rather than dwell on his impending death? I feel like times are changing, and not for the better, and I'm tired of trying to explain this to people and not getting through. Maybe I can't seem to get my thoughts together.
Now I'm left wondering how this relates to my life. Lately I've been wondering if the friends I've made are good friends, if they're more work buddies forced to cohabitate than people who care and want to hang out. And if I were dying 30 years from now, would loved ones think of throwing together a party where everyone could laugh and celebrate a man's life, rather than dwell on his impending death? I feel like times are changing, and not for the better, and I'm tired of trying to explain this to people and not getting through. Maybe I can't seem to get my thoughts together.