My friend Brian

As most of you know Brian was killed in April of 2010.  Brian was one of my best friend growing up from elementary school until we graduated from high school.  He lived one street up from me.  He was my date to prom when we were in 10th and 11th grade.  We were in classes together.

When I heard what had happened to Brian my emotions were all over the place.  Once the initial shock wore off that someone had shot him, regret then sat in.  I had lost touch with Brian and hadn't spoken with him over the last few years of what I now know was the end of his life.  We talked while in college and wrote letters but it wasn't every day.  We were pretty consistent the first few years of college and then it started to fade off.  Once college was over we both went about our lives until it got to the point that we just didn't talk unless it was at a reunion or when we both found Facebook.

Once the arrangements were made for Brian's viewing and funeral it gave me plenty of time to think about him and it seemed that every memory of growing up, he was in it.  It also gave me plenty of time to regret not telling him how much he meant to me and how much I loved him.  Regret for not calling when I thought about him.  Regret for him not knowing my daughter and for her not having the chance to know him.  Regret for loosing touch with him.  Regret for him not being in this world any longer and knowing my chances are gone to ever see him.

My loosing touch with Brian reminds me of how I felt and how God must have felt when I did the same thing to him.  God was a part of my life everyday growing up.  In college God and I talked.  It was pretty consistent in the beginning and then it started to fade off until it came to a point when all communication ended.  I would think about God, just like I did Brian, but never reached out.  God would come into my life on special occasions usually Easter and Christmas. 

I am thankful though that the outcome of my relationship with God was not the same as the outcome I had with Brian.  I was fortunate enough to reconnect with God while I had the opportunity too - before He was gone from my life forever.

Brian's death was a reminder of how quickly life can end.  You just never know.  One of the many reasons we need to live our lives as Christ like as we possibly can.

I think about you every day Brian and hope that you know how much I loved you and how much your friendship meant to me.  You will never be forgotten.