Hug 'em tight while you can!

[jswordy]

Lost a really, really great friend last night. She's third one around the table here from the right. Some of you may recall I posted this photo shortly after we had this dinner gathering.

Without any prior warnings, Sydne simply went to bed and never woke up. Her husband awoke this morning to find she had gone away. She was one of my biggest winemaking supporters. Wow, everyone is shocked, and she had a wide circle of friends since she had a huge array of interests.

Hug those who are close to you right now and tell them you care for them right now. There's never a guarantee of tomorrow...

 

[JohnT]

So sorry for your loss.

 

[Boatboy24]

Sorry to hear you lost such a good friend, Jim.

 

[Julie]

So sorry for your loss, Jim. That is how my 54 year old brother died. Went to sleep and never woke up. You are right hug your loved ones, we have no idea when God is going to call us home.

 

[bkisel]

Sorry to read about your loss.

You'll see your friend again!

 

[ceeaton]

Jim, sorry to hear you and your group lost such a valued friend. My wife and I will pray that her husband and family will feel God's comfort in the coming tough days.

 

[Johny99]

So sorry Jim for the loss of your friend and wine making champion. Cherish the memories. Our prayers for you and her family.

 

[Runningwolf]

Jim, sorry for your loss.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

Jim - So sorry for such a loved one !

 

[BernardSmith]

My condolences, Jim. So sorry for your loss. Life is so fragile and I am not sure that we always tell those we love how very precious they are.

 

[grapeman]

Jim so sorry you lost such a special friend. Be sure to raise a glass for her.

 

[jswordy]

Thanks to all.

Her husband, who sits to her right in the photo, has told me he plans a gathering around New Years of her friends who have sat around that table at the holidays. This will be after her funeral is over and all. I had just bottled some wine in anticipation of a phone call from them that we would all get together sometime this season. We will toast her with that.

I am checking in with her husband a lot. He has asked to be pretty much alone right now, but I am talking with him on the phone, by texts and FB messaging. As is typical, she had tons of close female friends, but guys usually don't work that way, and I want him to know I am there for him anytime, anyplace he needs me.

A real wake-up call, in a season when we all need to think about people we may be disconnected from who we really should reach out to, because a scarred relationship is better than estrangement when the reaper comes.

I'm reaching out soon to a guy who used to be like a brother to me, but we got separated by something really small and stupid, and I'll ask him to let that go and let us grow. I don't want to wait and have regrets.

Sorry for the sermon, but as people who have experienced it know, when something like this happens it can stir some things up.

 

[Johny99]

...

I am checking in with her husband a lot. He has asked to be pretty much alone right now, but I am talking with him on the phone, by texts and FB messaging. As is typical, she had tons of close female friends, but guys usually don't work that way, and I want him to know I am there for him anytime, anyplace he needs me.

...

Sorry for the sermon, but as people who have experienced it know, when something like this happens it can stir some things up.

It does Jim. I lost my best bud across the road a couple of years ago. One thing his widow noted is that folks call for the first six months or so, the life intervenes. Keep being a friend to her husband, don't forget to call him in June for bottling. My bud's wife is on our Christmas dinner invite list. It helps she likes my wine no matter what I pour