Sunday, May 8, 2011

Life and Loss

This has been a very rough weekend.  I was very excited to go to meeting on Saturday morning and weigh-in because I thought I was down about a pound, and I love seeing that on the scale.  It was a small miracle because I ate chicken finger and fries at the ballpark Friday night, and I even licked out the tub of ranch they gave me.  I had the activity points to cover it, but I try really hard not to eat those.  Anyways, I was sitting in my mom's living room, waiting for her to put her shoes on, so I decided to check Facebook on my phone.  I hadn't had a chance earlier (yes, I'm addicted to FB).  As I'm scrolling through posts, I came across one that made my heart break.  A very dear friend of mine had passed away.

Roy was not just any old friend.  Roy was like my surrogate grandfather.  I met him at church back in 1994 when my family moved to Dayton, Ohio.  He played grandpa to all of the kids, but I always felt like Roy and I had a special bond.  I was just entering the 8th grade.  He could be onery, and was stubborn, but he was also very caring, genuine, and wise.  He helped me work through a lot of things in high school and beyond.  When I moved back home in 2003 because I was getting divorced, he was there for me, whenever I needed to talk.  I felt like he really, truely listened, without judging. 

Shortly thereafter, my family moved here to Kansas City, and he and his wife moved to California and I figured I probably wouldn't see him again.  I sent cards, and every once in a while we would talk on the phone but it was few and far between.  Well, last year, I accepted a new position at work and found out that I was going out to our plant in California for a week.  When I told my dad where I was staying, he said, "You better call Roy, he lives about an hour from there."  What were the odds?  So I called up Roy-Boy and we made dinner plans.  We had a fantastic conversation.  I caught him up on my life and convinced him that I finally had my head on straight.  It was such a joy to share dinner with him.

I figured I might get back out there maybe one more time to see him, but, sadly that was not meant to be.  He went home to be with Jesus and his beloved wife on Friday night, after taking a nasty fall the week before.  This world has lost a truely great man.  While I rejoice because he is no longer in pain, it hurts.  It hurts badly.  Everything else just seems a little less important right now.

Roy made an impression and an impact on everyone he knew.  He will truely be missed. 

Starting Weight: 210.4
Current Weight: 193.4
Total Lost: 17 lbs

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