Postcards Unsent – Saying Goodbye to a Friend I Never Met
There are three postcards in my bag this morning. I usually bring cards for sending to work and drop them in the outgoing mail. It’s been a while since I’ve sent any.
Yesterday afternoon I sat down to scribble out a postcard. There was just one that I intended to write. But as I finished it, I thought of two more people I wanted to send a quick ‘hello,’ to. And so, I wrote out the two additional cards and put them in my bag to go out in the mail today.
This morning when I got up, I shuffled down the hall to the kitchen, turned on the coffee pot and picked up my phone off the counter. It was just like any other morning. But today was different in that when I scrolled through my messages, someone kindly passed along the news that a fellow motorcyclist had passed away. I’m sad to say that Eric, (@RideTriumph) is no longer with us.
One of my cards will go unsent today.
Though we never met in person, we chatted on social media. He also sent postcards from his travels when I asked if people would share their adventures. It’s funny how you can connect with people using this seemingly impersonal medium. But you do. And they become important to you. Watching from my side of the world, I saw his Instagram feed fill up with photographs of beautiful places out west – sunsets, canyons, the Pacific ocean. He shared a view of his world and took us along for the ride with him.
While I was in California this past May, Kenny and I visited the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest. The only reason I knew about it was from a postcard sent by Eric. Kenny and I enjoyed being in that special place immensely. Learning of it was a gift.
I’m so sad to hear of his passing. My hope is that his loved ones find peace in his absence. Ride on, Eric. 🙁
https://instagram.com/p/2QrYFtiyq4/
That’s awful. Really. I remember all too well how I felt having learned of BobSkoot’s passing.
I am terrible about buying postcards and leaving them lay around. Then I feel like a schmuck for not mailing them in a timely fashion, so often they just go unmailed. Perhaps I’ll use them this Winter when it’s too cold for me to ride.