When is the last time you told a love one or close friend how important that person is to you? Well, a close and influential friend of ours, John Smith, after more than 13 years of dealing with brain cancer (in fact, John was the longest surviving person with his type of brain cancer), died on Aug. 16.
What John taught us about his attitude toward his family, his friends and his community, his disease and pending death will continue to be a part of the way we approach our own death, our friends and our community.
John taught us to keep a positive attitude, support our family and be willing to help others when called upon to do so. Now John’s teachings are and will remain part of the way we will live our lives. John’s body is dead, but his philosophy of helping others and then saying “No thanks needed, just pass it on” will be our GPS as we work our way though our lives.
Shakespeare wrote (in “As You Like It”): “All the world’s a stage and, All the men and women merely players, They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts.”
Our dear friend John played many parts, but all his roles were positive ones and even though he has left our worldly stage, he was not “merely” a player. He was to us, and hundreds of others, an inspirational player and his attitudes will live on through us. John, we will pass on your kindness to others.
Under John’s mentorship we are encouraging others to tell and to continue to tell your loved ones and your close friends how important they are to you and how they are influencing your lives. Then pass on their kindness to others.
Chuck Wright
Karen Brandon Mill Creek
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