Four Men

I have a photo on our fridge of four men.  Four great men. Two of them (my grandfather and my Uncle Louie) and two other, what I like to call “Townies”.  Men whose families my family has known for years, decades, lifetimes.  These men depict to me a number of things – Faith, Family, Friends, Community and Love. 

I don’t know exactly when the photo was taken, but I think late ‘60/early 70’s is appropriate.  The Men are at the Knights of Columbus, making pancakes for the annual K of C Pancake Breakfast.  Two of them are cracking up, having a grand ol’ time, with pancake batter dripping off the side of the griddle, pancakes-half flipped haphazardly on their sides.  The other two are taking their roles quite a bit more seriously.  They are peering at the other two with a bit of “this is an important job here, fellas, let’s get this right.”  Their griddle is spotless with each pancake symmetrically like just like the others.  It makes me laugh because I can read the thoughts of the Four Men as I look at them in the picture. 

This morning, one of the Men passed away.  I didn’t know him personally all that well, but I surely have a history of conversations with him, always about our families, “old times”.  I like that we have that history.  I know some members of his family quite well and love them to pieces.  His family is an amazing one, for reasons too numerous to count. I am sad for them right now. A pillar of their family is gone – at least gone as we know him to be.

Only one of the Four Men in the photo is still walking with us on this earth.  That makes me sad.  As much as I love this generation of which I am a part, I feel as if they just don’t make ‘em like they used to.  Of course there are exceptions and I am blessed to say that I have some (lots) of exceptions in my life.  Amazing people. 

But still, I sit here and there is a bit of sadness for H and M.  I hope they have Four Men in their lives, in whatever capacity, to know that there is good in the world.  And there always will be.