Ode to a Friend.....

On March 17, I received an email from my friend Elias in Nova Scotia that our friend Bernie had passed away on March 15 in Doha, Qatar. The email said he was attending a St. Patrick’s Day celebration at the American Embassy and dancing with friends when he collapsed.

I read that email over and over as I was in complete shock. I had just received an email from Bernie two Saturdays before with picture of him and his friends enjoying camel rides and the beach and the email said he was having a great time and that he would give me a call soon. I was anxious to hear from him as we had not spoken on the phone since I had left Indiana. But we had been in touch via email.

Bernie and I met during my Rotary Group Study Exchange to Nova Scotia in May 2006. He was a Rotarian who hosted me for a week and we became instant friends and kept in touch through phone calls and email. We became very good friends. Bernie and I had a special connection as we seemed to “understand” each other. We both felt that our paths crossed for a reason.

I believe that Bernie may have just turned fifty in January, if not he was right around that age. Still young, full of life, with wonderful ideas and so much to give others.

I was in complete shock by the news and heartbroken. I still can’t believe that he is gone.

Bernie was working in Doha, Qatar and we had talked about him coming to visit me in South Africa, as he wouldn’t be that far away. I was excited about the possibility of getting to see my good friend again. That won’t be happening now, not ever.

Bernie and I shared a lot for education, and we specifically shared an interest in distance education and had hoped to work on a project together in the future. He was an intelligent man with a big heart and had done much to help others and wanted to continue to do so. He was a CA, charted accountant, but wanted to look at teaching. But, he was a teacher. He taught me so much, and I know he has taught others so much as well, just by his outpouring of love and the guidance that he offered.

Though Bernie was only in my life for a short time, he made a big impact. He will be fondly remembered. And may we all remember to cherish our friendships and relationships daily; as we never know when the people we care about may physically leave us and we are left with memories. Hence the reason why memories become such a cherished, important and sometimes painful, part of our being.