There’s a part in the Return of the King when Minas Tirith is being under attack, and the few survivors are behind this door where Pippen tells Gandalf that he never thought it would never end this way, and Gandalf says, “End, No, the journey doesn’t end here. Death is just another path, one that we all must take. The grey rain curtain of this world rolls back, and all turns to silver glass, and then you see it…white shores, and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise.” That one quote in the whole movie is one of best lines I’ve ever heard written/or in a movie.

I just participated in my first funeral via stream at 10 a.m. of my friend Richard who passed away a couple of days ago, and one thing that I remembered about Richard was how much he loved Lord of the Rings, which was why I referenced the above quote, because I knew that was one of his favorites. I watched his family go up one by one, all looking so much the same 5 years ago since I moved from Plano, sharing memories about him, talking about that crazy and happy aura he had around him that would just bring a smile upon anyone’s face.

Still many years later, the memory of Richard that I have kept in my head this whole time, is still in 2nd grade, we were all in P.E. and were on one of two teams playing kickball, the score I think was that we were down 1 pt and also had 2 outs, Richard was on the third base and I was up to kick, all I had to do was just kick it the same way as I always have had and we would’ve tied the game. I don’t recall that much, except that I completely hooked the kick and it went straight into the opposing team’s hands. After that I just remember the other 2nd grade team high fiving each other, while my team started blaming me. I remember that whole day being one of the worst I ever had. On the bus ride home, Richard sat next to me and told me that it was fine, patted my back, and gave me a Capri Sun. That’s how I first met him, my neighbor who lived 4 houses down from me, the neighbor who I played basketball with almost every other day on their hoop behind the garage, the kid who I shared Pokemon and Yu-gi-Oh with, the kid who introduced me to Starcraft, the kid who went on mischievous journeys with me around the neighborhood and throwing eggs and sticking jolly ranchers on those kid’s windows that we didn’t like back then. Damn, there are just so many memories, and in my head I’m still frustrated, shocked, and angry, that my friend, Richard had died, and all I can ask is why? But that question can never be answered.  

Still, I am filled with regret that I didn’t keep up with the Hollands much after I left and moved to Austin those 5 years ago, wishing that I could have had one more chance to say something to him, to thank him for being there always sticking up for me and being one of the best people and family that I’ve ever known. And when I found out that he was a pledge brother of Nicole Goodin, an Austin neighbor, at the University of Texas in Austin, I immediately contacted him and asked him how he was, and what a small world it was, and hopefully would get to see him when I ever come back to Austin

Its been a a while since the whole service ended and I feel a bit at peace and joy knowing that he blessed so many of those people there and that he’s influenced and changed so many people’s lives through their comments on his Facebook. 

So now, I look forward to the next time I’ll see you Richie. I know you’re up there somewhere and that one of a kind laugh that was so contagious is being heard up there too. I love you, and you were surely the best of the best when it came to someone who cared and loved people for some unfathomable reason besides that you were so filled with God’s love and compassion that you were compelled to do so. So thanks Richie for those memories you’ve blessed me with of you, you truly were one of a kind, and can’t explain how much you’ve impacted my life with your generosity and happiness that you couldn’t contain. See you soon.