On Loss

By Steve Gwisdalla

My friends, here in our little corner of the world, we advocate for more joy and focus on being, promoting, and living an ‘up’ life. Sometimes it is easy to do. Other times it is hard.

This past Wednesday night, my family and I were at dinner when my phone rang. If you are lucky in this life, I mean really lucky, you will find, cultivate, and celebrate a handful of people you will call your best friends. Your inner circle. The people who know all your secrets, have seen you at your worst and know how badly we strive to be our best. They just are. Constant. Unwavering. Honest (brutally so sometimes). Not counting family, I have been blessed to have a very small handful of such people. When I saw one of those inner circle people calling, I thought nothing of it. Until he told me another in our inner circle passed away unexpectedly 30 minutes before his call to me. As I prepare for a trip to Cleveland to say goodbye to someone who knew me almost better than I know myself, I admit I am having some very serious struggles to be ‘up.’

Then my phone rang yesterday. It was my late friend’s wife. She was sad but upbeat. In terrible mourning but anxiously looking forward to celebrating her late husband’s life with all those who loved him the most. Celebrating his life. Since that terrible first phone call, all I have wanted to do is cry, scream, and ask why.

Celebrate his life.

His soulmate of 15 years is on the phone telling me we are going to celebrate a great life lived.

I am certain of a couple things in this thing we call life. Number 1, Rob would hate the fuss we are all going through to honor him. That makes me smile. Number 2, he will do what he can up there to help with a certain football team from Detroit (and we need all the Divine help we can get). To call Rob a Lions fan is an understatement. We used to quiz each other on former Lions draft picks from the 70’s 80’s and 90’s. Yeah, we are nerds. I wear that badge proudly today.

My friends, sometimes the downest downs can help us see the highest mountains. I can see one of my dearest friends standing at the summit, waving to us all. Robbie, I will celebrate your life this week and continue to do so by celebrating all life until we meet again. Another lesson from an inner circle friend. God’s speed Rob Gagne. Steve is a Dexter resident and the Owner, Chief Grief Helper, Inner Circle Friend Appreciator and Vice President of Life Celebrating at Better Place Consulting, a personal and small business coaching organization. Reach out at [email protected].