Paul's 365 Photo Blog: February 2012

I got one of those phone calls yesterday that you NEVER want to get. The wife of my very best friend in the world was calling from Australia. I knew that this was bad because she was breaking down as she spoke. She told me that Greg Jordan, the kindest, smartest, most honest, most caring and wisest man I've ever known -- the best friend that one could ever hope to have -- had passed away suddenly.

I'm still in shock. I buoyed by the fact that Greg lived a charmed life. He had found the woman of his dreams, and he was living in paradise (Melbourne) with her. He had fulfilled many of his dreams -- running a cafe, turning it around from near bankruptcy and after 5 years (exactly as long as he had planned to work on it), he sold it for enough of a profit to build a beautiful house.

Greg was, in one way, responsible for my marriage. At a point in our relationship, Caryn was thinking of breaking up. Greg sensed her trepidation, and used his understanding of me to explain away my quirks that were driving her crazy.

The world is a quieter, less interesting, less fun, less intelligent, and less caring place today. I cannot begin to tell you how much I'm going to miss you buddy.

One last thing -- that amazing woman you loved and married -- as she sat there on the phone, her entire world falling apart before her eyes, she took time to ask me if I was going to be OK. She cared enough to make sure that I had someone with me to help me process the news. You sure knew how to pick 'em!