Van Aaron Hughes was a friend of mine. He died Aug 29, 2023, after a fairly long battle with pancreatic cancer. He went by Aaron, mostly. I’m angry that he’s dead. I’m angry that one of the best people I know never got to see his 60th birthday when he still had so much to do and to give and to experience, while so many crappy people go around ruining things and crapping up other people’s lives for much longer. I’m angry that he and his wife Liz had just found each other, and were barely able to rejoice in sanctuary of their glorious love for a few measly years before it was cut short. Someone as awesome as Aaron, and as Liz, deserved much more than that. It is monstrously unjust and there’s nothing I can burn down to make it right and that’s enraging too.
It sounds like you had the good fortune to know a truly awesome person.
I know it doesn’t compare to having him in the world to shine his light himself, and I know it doesn’t satisfy the overwhelming desire to slap reality so hard you knock its teeth out, but my experience has taught me that it actually helps* to shine his light in his stead.
When the opportunities arise to channel some of his best characteristics and you are able to do so, that’s a real way in which he’s still positively effecting the world every day. Every life that you make better because of the better person you are for having known him pushes the chain reaction of his being further and further along.
I love you bud. I’m so sorry for your - and everyone he knew and everyone he didn’t get a chance to know’s - loss.
*I’m always hesitant to give advise, so just know I can only say this helps for me
It sounds like you had the good fortune to know a truly awesome person.
I know it doesn’t compare to having him in the world to shine his light himself, and I know it doesn’t satisfy the overwhelming desire to slap reality so hard you knock its teeth out, but my experience has taught me that it actually helps* to shine his light in his stead.
When the opportunities arise to channel some of his best characteristics and you are able to do so, that’s a real way in which he’s still positively effecting the world every day. Every life that you make better because of the better person you are for having known him pushes the chain reaction of his being further and further along.
I love you bud. I’m so sorry for your - and everyone he knew and everyone he didn’t get a chance to know’s - loss.
*I’m always hesitant to give advise, so just know I can only say this helps for me