A friend of mine passed away the other day. He was a very nice, generous man that lived a full, exciting life. He served in the military, raced planes in competitions, was a successful businessman, had a collection of exotic cars, lived in a beautiful home, had a lovely wife, was well respected and known in the community, and was a true rags to riches story. We sat next to each other at baseball games where we both held season tickets for many years. We talked about families, cars, local politics, hobbies, and business. I hadn’t seen him for a while because he gave up his baseball season tickets this year and that’s when I heard that he was ill. I always felt like I should give him a call and just visit with him. And then the email came…he passed away. I was sad and then angry with myself for not ever getting around to visiting him. He’s gone now. His family and wife grieve. It has all made me wonder how many people out there are like me: thinking they’re so busy that they never get around to calling or reaching out to someone. If the Lord puts someone on your mind and you think you should reach out to an old friend, don’t hesitate. As we get older, this will be news that comes more often: A friend passed away.