5 Years…

Five years ago today, I saw the worst email of my life. Five years ago today, I got one of the worst phone calls of my life. Five years ago today, my best friend died unexpectedly.

My family had just recently moved to Vincennes to a new appointment. We only lived here for about a month or so. Just five weeks before, my friend and his family came over to our house. We had pizza. We laughed. We hugged. We said, “I’ll see you again soon, brother.” And then… that was it. That was the last time we spoke.

We were headed to Indianapolis for a clergy family picnic. We stopped at a gas station so our 2 year old could go to the bathroom, and as I stood there waiting on here, I thought I’d check my email. And there it was. A prayer chain email from my home church asking us to lift his family in prayer because he had passed away.

I was in shock. I couldn’t speak. In that precise moment, I couldn’t even cry. My daughter finished up, and we went back to the car. My wife knew something was wrong, and I just gave her my phone with the email still up. And then burst into tears.

About ten minutes later, his mom called me. An hour later, I was sitting bedside with the family. This isn’t how it was supposed to be. His daughter and mine were only 6 months apart. They were going to be the best of friends. He and I were going to be a couple of old farts laughing about the good ol’ days while we played a round of golf, or sat lakeside trying to catch some fish. Things don’t always go as planned.

Last night, I talked about Brad with my daughter. She’s getting ready to start second grade next week. She’s nervous. About school a little, but mostly because she isn’t as close with one of her best friends as she used to be. We talked about how that happens sometimes. Sometimes, people just grow apart. Nobody did anything wrong. We just don’t get to spend as much time together as we would like, and… well… life happens.

I talked to her about how hard it is to lose a best friend. And then I cried. She turned on her side and just hugged me for the longest time. It was one of the sweetest moments of my life.

I wish I could pull out some awesome spiritual lesson that I’ve learned through all of this. But I can’t. I’m still not there. Right now, I just miss my friend. I’ll always miss my friend.

I look forward to the day, when we meet beyond the veil, that I get to see his big smile again; that I get another big embrace; and that I hear the words, “Hey, brother!” once more.