On Friday, March 5th, my good friend and next door neighbor died.  We shared many times through these past 20 years. We talked of life, the world, and even gossiped about neighbors.  We shook hands, as men do, but there was a deep love and respect for each other.  We talked of dreams fulfilled and unfilfilled and talked about what we wanted to do.

My wife and I visited him on Thursday evening.  He was on oxygen and he suspected he had cancer. As we talked I saw the dimness in his eyes.  After having shared for about an hour and a half we got up to leave. Dubbye hugged him for a long time, sensing this was close to the end.  I shook his hand, as gentlemen do, not knowing this would be our last.  He died Friday morning around 9:30.

I miss him so much.  I never told him I loved him but he knew I did. Love is expressed in so many ways, but I think we should tell people we love them.  We should enjoy their presence while we are experiencing it.

Bob had faults and so do I, but that doesn't matter with true friends. The Bible says that Jesus is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.  Bob was my brother and I will always remember his love for life and his love for making people laugh.  Do you have a friend like that?