I've know for some time that as we hit our 80's we will probably lose friends...I, like many do not have a large group of really close friends...in fact only a few...lots of acquaintences and "friends" but only a few men I'd really trust with my life or to respond if I were in a jam.
Lost one of them a short while ago..man I'd known for many years as a sober friend in AA...he got sober in 1956 so that made him a real "rarity" of a man with over 60 years of complete sobriety when he passed.
Now I find my long time fishing buddy is on the "short list" and will leave us within the next couple of months. Seems the "cure" for his prostate cancer was so severe it burned his insides and instead of a cure the process left him open for more and much more fast moving and severe cancer.
I'm not naive enough to think these things don't happen but it seems like there is a rash of sickness (mostly cancer) touching my life right now....Saying my prayers for their families and saying thanks for the friendships..a man is lucky to have a few very strong friends in his life and I've been blessed with some of the finest. At 80 I'm far from a picture of health but still trucking along and have a good hearty laugh frequently so still enjoy life...just got up this morning with a realization that times draw near regardless of our attempts to change things.