joegoda | On my brother's passing

Memorials are times of memories. Good and less then good. Hapy and those not quite happy.

I have memories of Jamie from way, way back. I should, I’m his older brother, Chester.

Jamie was my youngest brother. He lived his life as he saw fit, being good to folks and being exactly the person he felt he should be. I believe that he accomplished his goal.
I believe that when he passed away he was exactly the person he wanted to be.

Jamie was the most hand shakingest, kindest to strangers, helpingist to the lost and helpless person I ever knew. In many ways, he is the best of all of us.

This doesn’t mean he was perfect. He was stubborn and willful and had a nasty temper at times. He was a bit odd, and coming from an odd family that means quite a bit. Still, even with his flaws that only made him more human, he was loved by a great many people. More than I ever knew, more than I will ever know. I wish I did, so I could thank them for enriching his life.

Before he got very ill, he, Tina, and I went on trips around this area. We saw things that I had never seen before, and I’d like to think that it brought him some pleasure. I know that he was an adventurer and dreamed of going places and doing things. He’s on the greatest adventure I can think of now.

During the last months of his life among the humans, Tina, his wife, sat with him practically every day. When she did leave his side, he was lost. No better companion, no better mate could my brother have found. May we all be so blessed.

I don’t say Good Bye to Jamie. I know we’ll meet again. I suspect he and my father, who went before him, are sitting up there right now planning something. So instead of good bye, I say Bon Voyage and I’ll see you later.

He was the best of us all.