It's a Wonderful Life is my favorite movie. It reminds me of how important family and friends are in our life. It reminds me that we each have a guardian angel looking out for us, reminding us of just how wonderful our life really is.
We all have a "George Bailey." That one person who makes our life complete. The one person we who helped make us into the person we are. We all have a Clarence too. An angel that watches out for us and helps to see just how wonderful we are.
My George is about to become my Clarence. I'm inconsolable about it.
I have been fortunate enough to call Charlie Lyle my best friend for more than 20 years. Who'd have thought that day I walked into the Broward Community College South Campus Student Life Office that my life would be altered forever. Never have I had a bigger cheerleader, encourager, supporter, and playmate.
Memories have been flooding back the past few days: our stupid Fashion Center game where we tried to out store name each other; the only shouting match we ever had in the parking lot of the Rustic Inn; watching Leon Lett slide through the snow; "It's like being home in the trailer park"; his months in Umatilla; his little white Escort; the truck that talked; the laughter ; when he held my hand when I was in more pain than I thought I could bear.
Who's going to hold my hand through this? I don't know what I'm going to do without my best friend.
Oh I know he'll be here. He's going to be my Clarence. He's still going to laugh at me when I do something stupid, he's going to whisper words of confidence in my ear when I don't believe in myself. He'll be there every morning when I wake up, every night when I go to bed and every second in between.
My loss is nothing compared to his family's loss. He's going to be a very busy Clarence. There's a lot of us he's got to look out for. I know he'll get it done. He gets everything done. He's never let anyone down.
Everytime a bell rings, an angel gets its wings. "George" you got yours a long time ago. I love you.
That's truly one of the nicest "tributes" to a friend I've ever read. I can't believe what's happening with Charlie... and I know it's so hard on so many people. I've been out of his life (and yours, really...) for so long, but my memories of you both (separately and together!) are vivid. When I think about and pray for Charlie, YOU are not far behind. :)
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