my friend…
Of what you have taught me,
in this life,
and what I will carry beyond your days.
You will always be B-I-G, BIG,
larger then life,
my friend,
in heart, in family, and especially in friendship.
You raised two fine sons
brothers to the end.
Men now in life
and now a grand-father to be!
You garnered my respect
not because of your size,
But because every man who met you
felt in your presence a warmth and love
which you emanated.
You took a couple of skinny white boys
taught them to be better fishermen;
Skilled them with a rifle and a square-knot,
led them into the wild
by foot and by sea.
Please know
that you inspired me to be a stronger man
pushed me beyond myself
and were a model of what it meant to be a father, husband, and friend.
I will think of you always,
when I set foot on a trailhead,
when I cast my line into the depths of lakes and seas,
when I fix my gaze on a target in the distance,
and when I attempt to heal one of your brethren of war;
You will be with me.
Thank you for
being BIG,
for helping this tenderfoot, this cub,
become an Eagle,
for helping this boy
become a man, a husband,
and a healer.
God now knows your warmth.
Knows your smile and the comfort
drawn from your spoken word.
And, for this, I am thankful.
It was my honor to have known you!
To carry you on in my heart and mind,
to have learned from your wisdom and experience.
For this, I am blessed!
