Its amazing and equally tragic the perspective and respect we gain by a close friends loss. Often not even a close friend but simply a guy or gal you worked next to for a couple of years or passed in a hallway back in the School days. I've seen 3 paddle outs back in VB in the last few months for classmates and friends I 'knew'. All to cancer and all the same age range....that right there will shake you to your bones and have you wide eyed! I'm learning and finally appreciating that age and illness are not only confined to that which is visible, the obvious aches and old bones we all go through. Stress, drama and repetitive negative energy and atmosphere can be and often is just as debilitating and costly. You have to rid yourself of that as much as possible and break a cycle. At the end of the day its so damn important to touch base with roots, the people you ran with, some you ran from and anyone who you called a 'mate' or called a bud. Only a friend who has seen you at your complete worst or absolute top can give it valued insight and honest perspective as you get long in the tooth. They, regardless of status or change, can be in the very same spot. Yep, don't take the day for granted and make the most!