There is always time...

[wdfifteen]

You think there is always time – until there isn’t…

I met Marvin when I moved into his school district when I was 13. Initially we were not friends. I don’t make friends. I don’t trust friendship and never reach out. But he saw something in me that made me friend worthy, and he befriended me anyway.
Through high school, our shared interest in being different and even rebellious kept us together. When the other kids were pursuing Tri-Five Chevys and Corvettes, we were driving Volkswagens and coveting 356 Porsches.
Senior year, after our final, final exam, we tossed a dime onto a road atlas and vowed to go wherever it landed. It landed on Windsor, Canada – not far from our little farm town in Ohio. That was a good thing, because our graduation ceremony was to be held in three days. We slid into town on graduation day, dirty, unshaven, barefoot, and not fitted for gowns. The school principal was furious and made us borrow socks and shoes and to put on whatever gown they could find over our cut-off jeans and tee shirts. Our parents weren’t happy, but they weren’t surprised.

Because that was us.

After high school we pursued our separate lives, through different colleges, marriages, careers – the lives people live. He got a job with NATO and moved to Europe with his wife. We kept in touch and maintained that special bond, though we didn’t see each other often. I would stop in Portugal to see him when I was in Europe, and he came home every few years. He was home about 3 years ago, and Vicki and I planned to go to Portugal soon. We weren’t in a big hurry, we were busy, and there is always time in the future.

Until there isn’t.

“Dear Pat, I wanted to let you know that Marv passed away peacefully this morning. He had been in poor health for a few months and now he is free to be healthy and strong. You were a very important friend in his life and I wanted you to know before I posted a public message about him. He always spoke of you in the most glowing of terms. Raise a glass to his life that was filled with love, laughter and adventure! Much love,”

Rest In Peace Marvin Lee Thordsen, the best friend I ever had.

[pwd72s]

well written and spot on. welcome to that age...the age of losing friends.

[HobieMarty]

So sorry to hear of this, the loss of your friend. It sounds like y'all had a bond that indeed lasted a lifetime, and beyond. Rest In Peace and Godspeed Marv!!!

Sent from my SM-S916U using Tapatalk

[DonDavis]

Word.
Preach.
All of it.

Godspeed Marv.

Hoisting a brew for Marv and Patrick mañana.

[fanaudical]

I'm sorry for the loss of your friend.

A good friend of mine from high school told me the following after she lost her husband: "The problem is you think you have time..."

[LWJ]

Sorry for your loss. I get it. I buried a very good HS friend this year. I think about him almost every day. Stupid things I want to tell him. But I can't.

Agreed. Time is precious. Tell people how you feel about them now. No regrets.

[unclebilly]

Sorry to hear this, Pat.

[astrochex]

Sorry to hear of the loss of a lifelong friend, Patrick.

[oldE]

So true. Most of us have long passed the point of "middle age" which of course means we have less time to spend. Savor the moments and tell those you love how you feel.

[KFC911]

My condolences Pat ....you had a special connection and a gift of expression to him... may he RIP.

And others here too .... it hurts to lose old friends.

Be well all...

[Scott Douglas]

I'm jealous of you Pat, you had a friend in high school to pal around with. I never did. I have one friend I consider a brother only because he's been around for longer than anyone else I know, besides my actual brother.
It sounds like you and Marv enjoyed the best of times together. I'm sorry for your loss. May he rest in peace.

[wdfifteen]

Sorry to hear that Scott. I have been blessed in many ways, and my friendship with Marvin was one of the greatest blessings.

[Zeke]

Yeah, I can't say I have a friend like that. Close. There is one person that I worked with for a coupld years while in college. We had a loosely formed house painting partnership. Once he graduated he was off to the corporate world and we've stayed in touch, but not much more than that. He was my best man at my first wedding. Seems trivial now.

Patrick (where do you guys get "Pat" from?), many sorrows for your friend. No, there's no extended time. That was a tough message to read.

[Evans, Marv]

Condolences for your loss Patrick. I'm (we're) finding out what happens at the end of the age spectrum. I have good friends who have passed on. I belong to a website for my HS graduating class. There are constant notices of classmates who have died. I read a science fiction story a looong time ago about a guy who could save a friend and his society from obliteration. The message was he was old and couldn't get up the initiative to do the job because of his advanced years. I've noticed old frends seem to loose initiative to deal with and respond to people they've known for six to seven decades. I suppose it's part of the cycle of life.

[KFC911]

Oops ....I called Patrick "Pat", for the first time ever ....due to the letter he recieved...

He's been called worse here

Patrick, you were lucky ... and so was Marv ... or Marvin... y'all connected for life .

[herr_oberst]

Patrick, you've given your friend a wonderful eulogy and given us something serious to think about. I'm truly sorry for your loss.

I have a high school friend like your friend Marvin; even though we live hundreds of miles apart, we see each other at least every year and message frequently. It lately occurred to us that we've known each other fifty plus years, and have made soft plans to see some things this year. Maybe go watch the Indy 500, or an NHRA drag race, maybe head to LV for some debauchery, even a road trip to watch the Union Pacific Big Boy roll coal across the plains.

Your message is a reminder to me that the talking stage needs to end now, and the planning and doing part needs to commence post-haste, before it's too late for one of us.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by Zeke

Patrick (where do you guys get "Pat" from?),

It's OK. For people who knew us as kids, we were "Pat" and "Marv." When I entered the professional world, I started using "Patrick." I answer to both.

Marvin was 12 days older than me. Something like that makes you think...

[masraum]

My deepest condolences on the loss of Marv, Patrick. Marv sounds like a hell of a guy, and I suspect you were a hell of a pair.

[vash]

RIP Marv.

thank you Marv for reminding the rest of us to live our best lives..