The only pain I could have ever truly associated with Mike is from my stomach hurting from laughing too hard. One of the most frustrating things about mourning Michael is that his loss seemingly only conjures memories where I was enjoying life, the company of our friends, and the world and time that we shared with him. On a long walk the day before I flew out from Vancouver, I couldn’t help but notice how Mike and I had changed since we spent time together in Vancouver during my Master’s. It saddens me that none of us will experience Mike change any further. I know life had plenty in store for him. Milestones his friends, family and myself wanted to witness. It is some small solace for me to reflect on Mike’s values and the way he lived his life. His goofiness (I don’t know if I ever told him that I long thought of him as an archetypical trickster), his gratitude, an uncanny ability to sleep on any surface, and his willingness to experience life as it was happening. Embracing Mike’s values is one part of how I hope to hold on to him.
The only pain I could have ever truly associated with Mike is from my stomach hurting from laughing too hard. One of the most frustrating things about mourning Michael is that his loss seemingly only conjures memories where I was enjoying life, the company of our friends, and the world and time that we shared with him. On a long walk the day before I flew out from Vancouver, I couldn’t help but notice how Mike and I had changed since we spent time together in Vancouver during my Master’s. It saddens me that none of us will experience Mike change any further. I know life had plenty in store for him. Milestones his friends, family and myself wanted to witness. It is some small solace for me to reflect on Mike’s values and the way he lived his life. His goofiness (I don’t know if I ever told him that I long thought of him as an archetypical trickster), his gratitude, an uncanny ability to sleep on any surface, and his willingness to experience life as it was happening. Embracing Mike’s values is one part of how I hope to hold on to him.
