I want to highlight the part that I relate most to, or maybe I mean the part that I remember the most from my own immature love affairs, and the moments that turned me into a man.

No that’s all wrong, I want to highlight the part that reminds me of the feelings I remember from so long ago.

no dammit I want to highlight the part that speaks of the women that changed me along the way.

And in reading your story there are a couple, I don’t have a single that can encompass all of that. There was a camp and a girl, but we were younger, the kids in camp. There was a trip abroad, and a long bus ride, but it wasn't so menial as things go. And there was the perfect first time of awkward what is this. And there has been the years later surprise moment of seeing in some way that person from so long ago.

But there has never been the permanent farewell of a life lived and ended, and I did not see that coming in your story, and in fact when i saw the photo of “the best times of my life” I knew this was a sappy story about how so many years later it all worked out….

I don’t know if this is the saddest real life account I've ever seen, but it certainly leaves me wondering as the years go by if one day I’m going to receive a letter, a phone call or just a Facebook message telling me goodbye, in the way that makes it all so permanently final.

But mostly, I hope even if nobody reaches for me in such a way in the years ahead, I hope I touched someone enough that a quarter century still leaves them happy for having known me.

I’m glad you had the time you had, and that you touched each other enough that time couldn’t erode the memories and feelings. I’m truly saddened for your loss, and can see looking at the six years past, that enough time had gone by that it was time for you to put the story to paper as it were. And a wonderful beautiful image you create.

Thank you.