Gone Too Soon

I farewelled a good man today.

Last week the sad news that this good man had died was delivered and, as is the way with such news, it was hard to process and harder to believe. He was a man who seemed to be full of life, such was his humour and good spirits.  But now he was gone. Not apparently or obviously unwell (oh that bastard of a deception) he was felled by his heart, the heart that was behind the way he touched so many lives. But now that had been stopped, damn it.

He and I shared many funny and thoughtful moments, roughly of the same generation, we reflected on all that was wrong with the world and how everyone else (especially those young things) of course needed to be reminded how the world really worked. When either of us got a hint that Rivers had clothes or shoes on special we let the other know, although sometimes that might be after one of us had been over and got our spoils first. I well remember a pretty vivid pinkish shirt he scored over there, but hey it was only $12.

Today I saw 100 or so people stop for an hour to remember him, to remind themselves of how thios good man had made a difference to them. The family members who spoke were so very clear and thoughtful in their words, amidst the tears and that awful gaping hurt they must have been feeling.  Another bastard of a thing that. What a terrific family they seem to be, so fine and dignified and a testament to the parenting they had and the lessons they must have taken and chose to use as they have journeyed through their lives.

Here was what would be called an ordinary man and yet...

I believe we are all here to make a difference and many of us don't understand the ways in which we actually achieve that. It can be a momentary encounter with someone, or it can be through years of a relationship or a job. It might even be through some reflections in a blog. This good man had obviously made some kind of a difference to all these people, enough for each of them to want to say 'goodbye'.

This good man was often someone who was simply 'there'. He'd often wander past my desk and say 'second shift reporting for duty'. Some days were filled with his laughter and many others just with his presence. I realised last week what I now will miss, sometimes we don't know what we will miss until it's gone.

That can make a bloke cry.

Amongst an incredibly beautiful setting of rolling, verdant hills we all said farewell to this good man.

RIP Geoff Webb, how blessed was I to know you,good man thank you...couldn't you have stayed just a little longer?