Thoughts on Mortality and Being a Good Neighbor

| December 22, 2011

This doesn’t really fit here, nor is  it humorous or silly. And it isn’t about a vet. YMMV or Jonn might delete?

Was about to head out today to meet with our frequent commenter Doc Bailey when I got a phone call.

It seems my freind and neighbor H was cutting down a tree yesterday and it fell on him and killed him.  He wasn’t a fool and even though it was windy I doubt he was careless. His body was found near dark. That amounts to all the current info I have. Not the proper time to be asking for details, etc.

When we moved here to the ridge a bit over 20 years ago H was among the first neighbors we met.  Since then we have been near perfect neighbors (more on that later). When part of our roof blew off in a wind storm he showed up to help us patch it. When he was losing sheep to feral dog packs I went to help him get rid of them.

For 20 years he has been fertilizing a couple of my fields and baling hay.  When he was doing square bales I helped, No money changed hands. H actually was a farmer. Cattle, sheep, pigs, he did it.

He has a family. I’ve met most of them, and he’d lost a brother or two over the years.

I will miss him. Although we were friends of a sort, it’s far more important to me that we were good neighbors!

Another neighbor defined that  word with no small clarity:  “A good neighbor is someone who will be there at times of need, and will otherwise leave you alone.”

Category: Geezer Alert!

11 Comments
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OWB

What a bummer, Zee. Yes, you will miss H.

Must also concur with that definition of a good neighbor. We have some of those around here also.

El Marco

Sounds like his actions, rather than mere words, defined him as a good man and neighbor. You were lucky to know him.

We never know when our time on this planet will end. Best to be prepared to give an accounting to God well before it happens.

OldSoldier54

What OWB and El Marco said, Zee. You are blessed to have known and had him as a neighbor. You and his family have my condolences.

May the Good Lord give us two such men for every one He takes.

streetsweeper

Mine and Melony’s condolences, Zero.

Toothless Dawg

Prayers for your friend and neighbor and his family.

2-17 AirCav

I am sorry for the loss and I am well aware that while there is no good time for an unexpected death, the holidays are the roughest.

Good neighbors are first good people. There can’t ever be too many of them. You have my condolences.

Doc Bailey

good neighbors are a treasure. Hard to find, and even more hard to keep sometimes. The most you can do now Zero is honor his memory.

UpNorth

Especially sad so close to the holidays. And I agree, good neighbors are a treasure. We have a couple, and they’re just good people.

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[…] – One Perspective December 26th, 2011 Last week, before my local drama, our commenter Doc Bailey and I were swapping emails, or talking on the phone, about this ‘n […]