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Monday, March 5, 2012

Lessons Learned on Living Well


Decades ago I met a man that would teach
me many lessons on how to live well.
He was my brother's friend and when I first
met him, it was some time in the 80's and
I was telling him about a new salad dressing
I had just tasted ~ honey mustard.  A few weeks
later I got a present ~ a jar of the dressing.  I had
never seen it before, but he found it.  Of course,
I wrote him a thank you note and he then wrote me
a thank you for my thank you.  And that was
the beginning of a lovely friendship.


I would see this man from time to time while
I still lived on the east coast but then I married,
moved to the Midwest, had kids, etc.


I didn't see him again until years later
when I brought the kids to NYC for the
first summer of the Hoosier Experiment.
He thought the "experiment"was such a
great idea, he lent me his beach house so
 the kids could experience that too.
Lee was a fixture on Fire Island.  He knew
how to live well and made everyone he met
feel welcome.  The little house in The Pines
had a house cocktail ~ I remember it as frozen
lemonade & vodka, there was a house dip ~a
jar of Pimento spread mixed with something.
And the house was always open, even if he
wasn't home.  He encouraged you to come
in, write a note in the guest book and grab
a handful of M&M's ~ the pastel ones...


Sadly, our friend left this world yesterday.
He had moved to Florida, he was ill but
didn't tell people because he didn't want
people to fuss.  I think heaven is probably
a better place already because he's there.
And he probably has a guest book...

Rest in Peace, Lee.




2 comments:

  1. It's always sad when someone leaves us but you made a good description of him and his life so one can feel that he is a big loss to you! There is a big warmth in your words, I think you really miss him...

    ReplyDelete
  2. So sorry to hear of your friend's passing. You wrote such a heart warming description of him. I'm sure Heaven is a better place with him in it. I hope we can all learn to be as gracious as he was.

    ReplyDelete

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