[Petunia111]

Well, I put this in the general talk because a neighbor of mine, a 38 year old man with a wife and daughter my son's age, dropped dead last week and was buried on Tuesday.

It just never hit me, since I am always so preoccupied with my own inner problems and demons and workings, how precious life is, how much I love my kid and my spouse and how I coud drop dead anytime....I am 56 years old, and all.

When my Mom died last spring, I was expecting it and she was very seriously old and sick, and I was prepared for it. I was shocked at my Dad's death, but well, parents are different.

This neighbor used to walk his 3 dogs every day, past my house, and we would walk our little dog past his house and say hi! and talk dog talk. When I found out that this neighbor passed away, via his daughter who told my son, I was just shocked.

You don't expect a guy who is 38 to pass away and it came as a total shock, not because of anything, but he is kind of on the young side and all.

I just got back from walking the dog, and had to pass his house. My husband had talked to his wife and she is holding out okay. She was a mess at the viewing, as my husband tells it. I couldn't face going, so I stayed home. I get upset and depressed enough as it is.

Anyway, as I battle my demons, my high blood pressure and what not, and fret about my husband not having a job, but looking, I will not take anyone or anything for granted I don't think.

It's taken me a long time to grow up, but there it is and there you have it.

[lynn P.]

((Petunia111)) - so sorry to hear of your neighbors sudden passing and my prayers go out to his family. Sudden deaths really are shocking and they have a way of making us think about appreciating our own lives and our loved ones.

My daughters friend lost her father last summer. He was famous retired hockey player and died of a heart attack, while boating on the lake. We were all stunned because he looked so healthy. The only good thing that comes out of it, is it makes us appreciate our own lives. Hugs to you.

[Petunia111]

That's the truth of it. He also seemed so healthy, but I did notice that most of the time he was smoking. That's such a serious detriment to people's health. I wish they'd outlaw cigarettes, but what's the use, people who want to smoke will go ahead and smoke somehow, I guess. Same with alcoholism, some people just can't say "no".

It's a terrible shock when someone young dies like this.

[lynn P.]

Yes I know what you mean - we were all stunned when our neighbor died too. He had 4 kids - set of twins 10 and 2 girls 13 and 16. I agree with you about the smoking and alcohol.

Hello, Petunia. Your post confirms again death has no schedule and it is later than we think.

I hope you find peace.

[Petunia111]

When my blood pressure goes up, I think to myself, I gotta get better control over this, or I'll have a stroke or something. You never know, "the future's uncertain, and the end is always near," or so the song goes.

[lonegael]

The same happened with an acquaintance's husband. In his case, it was an enlarged heart from a virus he probably didn't even know he had. We don't know when the number of days is up. Really, I'd just as soon not know, but it does make me think and hug my kids hen I am reminded:
-when that moose appeared right infront of the car in front of me on the icyroad and it was chaos for what seemed an eternity until the beast got away (Imagine a giant spider on rollerskates, and that's what it looked like in the headlights that night)
-when the lady on the cellphone clipped the curve and missed ploughing into us fullspeed by a hair, never even correcting back into her own lane
-when the tree branch missed my son because he turned to ask me a question and it smashed into the ground where he had stood before he turned.
We hang by a thread.