"Into Your Hands, Father of Mercies..."

Apologies for the radio silence, gang... hiatus might be winding down, but spending today on the road to see a cherished friend and boyhood mentor -- indeed, one of the finest priests this scribe's ever been blessed to know -- to his final rest.

For the little family of us that’s grown out of these pages over the years, it’s been brutally common of late -- just since June, five of our number have been called home, three of ‘em suddenly... and despite being sagely warned as a kid that “you’ll see many funerals,” having this many within such a short space has been a tough blow to take. (I’ve been writing a memorial post for some time now in fits and starts... and over and over again, just when the words finally shake out right, word comes that another one’s gone.)

For these, any other loved ones and friends lost among this gang of us lately, and all those who mourn, church, your prayers, please. Above all, though, just wanted to say to this readership -- especially the many of you who’ve kept in touch through the years and, ergo, have made your narrator so blessed and lucky to call you my friends and fellow-travelers -- how much, how big, your place is in this heart, and how no words can sufficiently capture my thanks for the gift and blessing you are on this ride. Being terrible at multitasking, let alone omnipresence (something many of you know, perhaps too well), sometimes that sense might seem lost in the shuffle... where it counts, though, just know it's anything but.

God love you lot forever... and thanks a million, Doc -- rest well with the angels.

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