I posted on this prayer thread earlier today. Words seem to fail me at times like this. I have felt down all day and I have been searching for more words to say. Well, like so many others, I am sure going to miss this man.
I think that sometimes it’s what people do for complete strangers, even unwittingly, that can help keep the memory of a good man like Bob alive. Bob may pass away tomorrow, but his memory will live on.
This is complicated and I am not a writer, so I just hope this post will make sense.
In 2007 I was told I had perhaps 6 months to live if I didn’t have heart surgery. I went in for the surgery. I suffered a stroke during surgery and I contracted MRSA. My expected 6 day hospital stay turned into a painful 2 months stay and over a year of rehab.
During my stay in the hospital and the year that followed I spent my days on FR. Bob’s photos and posts always made me smile. His beautiful photography brightened my otherwise dark days. I have never met Bob, but this complete stranger made a difference during a very difficult time in my life.
My wife and I own 5 acres on our mountain on the Olympic Peninsula in the state of Washington. We have been here for about 35 years. We have planted many trees on this property. Every Christmas we bought live trees and planted them by New Years day. I have planted a tree each time a grandchild was born...that’s another 8 trees.
Before I went in for heart surgery, I sent my wife to buy a tree. She brought home a Redwood tree and planted it. It has grown and it is quite beautiful. It is very healthy and planted where it could live unmolested by our weather for a couple thousand years.
Today, I named that tree in memory of Swampsniper - Bob.
I know that my words can’t make things better, but I wanted Bob’s family to know that there is now a mighty Redwood tree, named in his honor, growing on a far away mountaintop.
God bless you Bob.
Dan
Make sure you see that one, Mary. It’s quite touching and a great memorial to your father. (Gator, thanks so much for sharing that.)
Prayers for swampsniper and his family. We loved him here at FR and will miss him.
He woke up! This is so awesome. I love miracles.