MOTM

Jim,

"Stooge" Larry.  You will not hear a single unkind word about him.  That is 
not out of courtesy ... it is the truth.

It is nearly 5:00AM here in the Chicago area and I am still thinking of your 
father.  He was a friend of mine for a number of years and I feel I have lost 
the brother I did not have.  I lost my father in 1992 and my mother in 1988.  
That was a long time ago.  But I remember vividly how I felt each time.  I do 
have some idea how you feel and it makes my heart ache to know what you are 
going through.  I would gladly suffer your pain for you, if only I could.

Larry touched the lives of many people in a very positive way.  You see, we 
accept family as they are.  We are blessed with family without asking.  That is 
very special to us all.  However, friends are people of our own choosing.  
They are deliberately close to us or they are not.  They are the relationships 
that we freely choose to hold dear or to ignore.  Larry meant a great deal to 
me and to many other people in this world.  I chose Larry to be my friend 
because I knew him to be an honorable and decent man.  I am honored to say that he 
also chose me as one of his friends.  I'm afraid that I got the better end of 
that deal.  Your father was one of the finest people I have ever known.  You 
should be proud to be his son.  I know that he loved you and you must know that 
better than anyone.  I have two sons and I know how I feel about them.  Larry 
cared for you more than you could imagine.  That is why his passing is so 
painful.  Larry cared from his heart with rare conviction.

Mourn not in what you have lost.  Rejoice in knowing that you had someone in 
your life that sincerely cared for you as no other.  Rejoice that you had a 
relationship with a person as wonderful as Larry, for so many years.  This is a 
time of great sadness.  It is also a time to count the blessings we each have. 
 Larry lives on in every person he has touched.  That fills my heart with 
joy, yet it still aches.  Yes, it does.

I bid you peace, my friend.
Tom Farrand