R.I.P. Roger / Getting Old

I learned this week that a high school friend, Roger Slifer, passed away. He had been living in California. He had worked for Marvel Comics and for DC Comics. In 2012 he was seriously injured by a hit-and-run driver. He was recuperating in a nursing home, but on March 30 he was having trouble breathing and passed away while the ambulance was en-route to the hospital.

I had not been in touch with him since high school, but my mother kept me informed of how he was doing because his sister attends the same church as my mother.  

On the day that I read of his passing on a friend's Facebook page, I was going to a diagnostic center to have a few test ran. Nothing serious, just wellness checks. My doctor wanted me to have one of these test done "due to my age". Don't you just love it when they say that?!

The Preacher was asking me questions about my high school friend since he had never met him. I began reminiscing about high school and the friends that I had. Then I began getting a little teary eyed because life all of a sudden felt very short. I was crying for Roger and I was crying for all of the lost friendships, and I was crying because I began to feel very old.

That last reason might seem silly to some, but it just it me hard how short our lives are. No matter how hard you try to live right, eat right, exercise, old age will catch up to you. This last month the Preacher and I have been seeing different doctors, having blood drawn, having test ran, due to our new insurance. It just catches up to you, this old age. 

I remember in grade school, our teacher asked us to calculate how old we would be in the year 2000. When I subtracted my birth year from the year 2000 I couldn't believe that I would be that old and I remember thinking to myself that I would probably not be around when the year 2000 came. I just knew that I could not possibly live that long because to me I would be soooo old!

And yet here I am, still alive, thank God. I pray that the Lord will let me stay around for a long time. I've got a son whom I would like to see get married and have children. The Preacher and I have so many places that we would like to go and see. 

Rest in peace Roger. I send my prayers and sympathies to his family. I also hope that everyone who is reading this post will remember to love deeply, to be kind, to teach your children well, and to love the Lord with all of your heart and soul. Life is short, we never know when our last day will be, we don't know if we'll go to be with our Lord by a natural death or an accident, but what we do know is that one day will be our last day and we will meet our Lord in heaven.

Love from the Preacher and I