What Comes After?

After the Rain Comes the Sun in Arlington Village*
(Source)

A friend of mine's wife had been battling cancer for some time, over a year I believe. Yesterday afternoon, she lost that battle.

I started thinking about this post after reading earlier in the day that her prognosis was grim, gone before Thanksgiving in all likelihood. Sad to say, she made it only a few more hours.

Mike is one of those friends I've never met face to face. We belong to a number of common groups though. We are veterans, specifically Air Force veterans, both admirers of the mighty F-4 Phantom II, and admirers of the writings of Carroll LeFon, or Lex as we knew him when he was alive.

Although we've never met face to face, I call him friend. What's more, he's kinda like family, as are many others whom I've never met. Common interests, common experiences, common likes and dislikes, does one really need to meet someone face to face to call them "friend."

No.

There are others of my ken who I called friend long before I ever met them. Those I have met have invariably become close friends, family even. We share a bond.

Mike is like that.

I wish I knew for certain what comes after. After this life is over. I have had glimpses which I know, in my heart of hearts, to be real. As the Bard said...

There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,

Than are dreamt of in your philosophy. 

William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 5

I feel there is something after, my religion tells me one thing, my experiences tell me another, but there is something.

And it's not bad. Not bad at all, but it too is not the end. There's more.

I guess we'll all just have to wait and see.

For now, I mourn the passing of a fellow traveler on this life's long journey.

Rest in peace Kathy.

Prayers for those you left behind.

Stay strong Mike. May you find peace.

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (KJV)

* While this photo did come up on a search for "What Comes After?," thus fitting where I was going with this post, I also fell in love with the photo because it reminds me of The Nuke's old neighborhood in Alexandria where she, The Missus Herself, and Your Humble Scribe spent many an hour walking our beloved grand-dogs, Bear and Kodi. Man, I miss that...