People die…. We know that. But lately it seems that people are dropping like flies. It started with our dear friend Ginny Lynch. Then my ex-brother-in-law.. Then a woman named Jennifer Lanier who, though she never knew it, was instrumental in me becoming the person I am today. And I can’t forget a Facebook friend’s wife. On the outskirts, but still concerning, another friend’s cousin and aunt passed within a week of each other.

Sure. Celebrities die and the world mourns them. We feel horrible about some. Indifferent about others. But, what do you do? How do you handle so much personal loss? Like, I’ve lost both my parents. My dad in 2003 and my mother in 2024. Those hit hard, obviously. But they were each individual occurrences. Lately it’s like people I know dying off all over the place.

I’m old. I know this tho I sometimes refuse to believe it. And I know that as we age, people around us pass on. But, how do you deal with it? It’s not like I obsess over these people. But, every so often, it just hits that WOW! So n so is really gone!

I also have friends who aren’t in the greatest of health. Some of them will leave me crushed, mu h like Ginny.

These deaths are also making me come to terms with my own mortality. None of us gets out alive. And in the words of the immortal Mickey Mantle, “If I knew I was gonna live so long, I would have taken better care of myself.” I can soooo relate! I never thought I’d hit sixty, much less move past that. I mean, I’m glad I have. Don’t get me wrong. It’s just weird.

One day you’re cruising along, assuming Suzy Q is doin just fine, then you see the post. Or get the email or phone call. And then it just seems surreal. Until a little while later – maybe a day, maybe a week – and it hits ~ You’re NEVER gonna see this person again. Never hear their voice. Never share an inside joke. It’s just flippin over!

I probably shouldn’t publish this one. But I’m going to. I’d love to hear thoughts, coping mechanisms, anything so I know I’m not alone.

Stay well, y’all!