Paying Respects

I always look forward to SpouseBUZZ Live weekends.  It's a time to gather with my favorite group of people on this planet.  I love seeing friends who fit like a glove, and I also like meeting new ones.  Especially ones who knit in the audience!

So I'm looking forward to SpouseBUZZ Live San Antonio this weekend.  But I also have another reason to be thankful I am going to San Antonio.

I will get to pay respects to a dear friend.

I wrote about my friend and fellow milblogger Mike Reed here before:

Nearly four years ago, I got an email from a retired Air Force fellow about a post I had up on my blog.  That one email started a hearty exchange of ideas and cross-linking between our blogs.  Mike Reed and I became best blog-friends.  He always woke up at the crack of dawn, so he was always the first person in the US to read my blog posts from Germany.  His was always the first comment of the day, and he was there to help me through the rough spots in my husband's deployment.  I'd like to even think I helped him a bit, since both his Marine and Soldier sons were deployed as well.

He died of a heart attack in the summer of 2005.  One minute he was commenting on blogs, the next minute he was gone.

We had talked about arranging a blog-friend meet-up when I returned from Germany.  I was going to travel to Texas and meet him for a round of golf.  Sadly, we never got to do that, but because of SpouseBUZZ and the wonderful new set of friends in my life, I'm finally making that trip to Texas.

My friend Mike is buried at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.  I will finally get to visit him, just not the way I ever envisioned.

And I'm sure Mike would find it funny that my new retired Air Force internet buddy with the same name will be accompanying me to the cemetery...

Comments

[Toad]

"To attract good fortune, spend a new penny on an old friend, share an old pleasure with a new friend, and lift up the heart of a true friend by writing their name on the wings of a dragon."

Your old friend Mike, knew each of your posts from Germany was something like a new penny, each day bringing him joy.

Your new friend, knows the honor of you sharing an old friendship with him.

And each day, you lift up the heart of your warrior across the seas by writing his name on the blogosphere's wings of dragons.

Because of these things Sarah, I must believe you have already garnered good fortune all about you. And this good fortune you share with all of us...

[Barb]

Toad - what a beautiful sentiment!

Sarah ... I'm glad you are getting the chance to see Mike's resting place. Tell him he's much missed.
{Hug}

[HomefrontSix]

Sarah ~ I am so glad you get to visit Mike's grave and pay your respects. He was as lucky to have you as a friend as you were to have him.