I attended a memorial service last night for a friend of mine named Robbie Farr. He was a very genuine, loyal friend, and a good musician. I hadn't seen Robbie for a few years, so it was a surprise when I received an e-mail from him a couple of weeks ago in my AOL account, which I rarely check, seeing if the address was still active. I forwarded the e-mail to my work e-address to remind myself to respond. Before I had the chance to, he was dead.
Memorial services almost always feel awkward to me because people greive differently and there's always the tendency to put a happy face on something that is tragic. I was glad that there was no sugar-coating what happened to Robbie last night. After all, we're all adults and are very aware of the heartaches in this world. It was appropriate that Michael Pritzl of the Violet Burning lead worship with Michael Sanchez (former roommate of Robbie's and current guitarist of Gadget Car) providing support. Robbie roadied for the Violets for years and even jammed with them a couple of times.
It was great to see so many old friends with whom I had lost touch. Reflecting on the triumphs and tragedies of a life ended so early (Robbie was 36 years old) reminded me how grateful I am for life and loved ones. I made sure that some key people in that room knew how much I love and appreciate them last night. Some of my best memories involve several of them.
It's been a strange season, this past couple of months. I'm astonished by the number of people close to me, or close friends of mine, whom have suddenly died. It's a weird feeling. During the eulogies last night I had time to reflect, so I took a quick inventory of my life to evaluate whether I'm acheiving the things that are most important--most notably loving, encouraging, and (hopefully) making a positive impact on the people in my sphere of influence. In most instances, I fell like I've fallen short. I've let the cares/obligations/pressures of this world sap much of my strength and clarity to do the things I love with the people I love. It's a bit early for a New Year's resolution (and I'm not really one to make those anyway), but I really want to change--to spend more time and create more memories with loved ones. I want to share this precious, short life I've been given with those whom God has given me. I want to be confident that I did all I could to bless and help others while I was here. And one day, when it is my time to go home, I want people to be thankful they knew me, just like they were with Robbie.
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