Later on this afternoon I will be saying a few words at the memorial service for a dear friend who passed away a few weeks ago.
Just how do you acknowledge 20 years of friendship in 3 minutes?!
I am now left with a strong realization of just what a gap my friend’s passing has left in my life. And also just how much he added to my life – the fun, joyous bits as well as the slightly eccentric and quarky bits.
But my learnings from his death is to continue to live my life the way he would have approved and to be successful as he always wanted me to be.
Petty things now seem so unimportant. The way he used to get so agitated whilst driving is now just a memory of how my friend was – that was just his nature. But most importantly he always meant well. He had a really good heart and he could not do enough for his friends. He was the best friend I could have had and really great company to have around – well, most of the time.
My friend’s passing taught me just what is important in life. The things that most of us spend so much energy on every day are just not really that important. Wherever we have grievances with the people in our life, it is now time to forgive, forget and move on.
What really matters is those things that make our lives so wonderful and worth living – love, joy and friendship. And knowing that no matter how bad things may appear, there is always a way out.
And perhaps the last gift that my friend left us is for all of us to make the most of our lives.
Later today I will be thanking my friend for all he did for me, for my sister Neeta, for my many friends who became his friends and for all the people in his life.
Thank you my friend for everything.
I shall be ending my 3 minute eulogy by sharing some simple words from a poem I read:-
You were my best friend and that is true,
The gift was given from you to me.
We went thru moments that were good and bad,
Even moments that were happy and sad.
You supported me when I was in tears,
We stuck together through thick and thin,
It’s really sad that it had to be this way,
But it has reached its very last day.
Miles away cannot keep us apart,
Because you’ll always be in my heart