A weekend with joy and loss.

I lost a great friend this weekend. He died early sat morning, which i will never forget the date as it was my birthday. I went over to the apartment today to spend time with his partner and we laughed how i was probably half in love with him. Which is probably true but the qualities of which i loved him were of a kind man who I had stimulating conversations with and was gentle and caring. A big teddy bear of a man. He brought so much wisdom to our friendship and to life and to so many people he touched. There has been such an outpouring of love for him and his partner regarding his sudden death it's been a wonderful thing to see.

We first met just under 12 years ago when we worked together downtown. He became fast friends with another one of my friends but then he and I found a deeper friendship that has lasted all these years. We were very much alike. Lunches spent with him and two other friends helped me find myself and become comfortable with myself that let me explore the world with out being scared. He and I had conversations about art, electronics, games, photos, computers. He could understand my excitement on finding a new author or a new quilt design even though they were not his interests he understood where i was coming from. We had many conversations where he would see a point of view from one angle and I from another angle and we both learned from them. He could get me excited about things i knew nothing about and when i left him I would wonder how he did it. I will miss him when i get a new "toy" and can't call and tell him what i got. I will miss him when i need advice on relationships. I will miss him when i go to text him good morning. I will miss spending Friday night "dates" with him at tower books and records when we were both single. I will miss the sparkle in his eye. We didn't spend much time together these last couple years.. We both were so busy... both in relationships.. but he was the kind of friend that the moment we talked the time apart just faded away.

I am too young to have had 3 of my best friends die. First Matt Matt, then Jimmy and now David. I hope is that the three of them are looking down on me ,with the other family members i have lost, and are helping guide me through this maze of a life. I am sitting here with tears streaming down my face not so much out of sadness but with the knowledge that the world has lost a wonderful man and a wonderful friend whose life was cut short too soon. I love you David.