In Memoriam.

Hi everyone,

I found it both necessary and appropriate to inform those of you who read this of the passing of my Uncle. He passed away this tuesday from severe complications regarding cancer.

Normally I would keep such things low key, and thus far I have, but my uncle was an amazing man and I feel it's appropriate to share his story, or at least part of it:

It's hard to describe his personality in words, you'd have to have met him, but passion is a word to jumps to the tip of my tongue at first thought. If there was anything he had, it was passion. For fishing, for family, for life, the intensity with which he met the world was incredible; it was also more than likely the reason for the course of his life. He struggled with addiction for a good portion of his life.

Such a portion of someone's life is usually swept under the rug in a piece like this, but had he not fallen down so far, his rise back up would not have been so astounding. I saw him at both ends of the spectrum, addict to clean and sober, within two years time. The transformation was beyond description; the air around him changed, he moved with grace and composure I had never seen in him as far back as I can remember. He had lost everything, his high-paying job, his house, his car, but he hadn't lost himself. He was a man at peace with the world, and the world was at peace with him. I could see the struggle leave him, he was open, allowing life to come and greet him, taking whatever came with open arms and an open heart.

I can't tell you the impact its had on me. For someone to change so much, to make such a drastic and beautiful change is indescribable. His joy and humility were tangible; no longer was life a competition to get ahead, to beat everyone back, it was simply a masterpiece as it was. He was a shining example of what I aspire to be everyday, open and in love with the world.

I wish I could say that I'm glad he was at peace when he passed, but I wish that he could have been here longer in order to be a living example of what is possible when you have not only the wisdom to look within for peace, but when you have such a strong support behind you every step of the way. For my uncle, yoga was the gateway, but life became his practice.

He is missed, and will continue to be missed. A light left the world, but the memory stays.

Be well, really.