Apologies in advance for long meandering stream of consciousness.
I think so much was relatable about @fistoffury that his passing has had a profound affect on many on here. After much of the day spent in the car yesterday and bank holiday radio being what it is I ended up spending much of the journey from Bunclody in quiet contemplation.
I wasn’t long in the door when through quivering lips and a lump in my throat did my thoughts came pouring out. They revolved around his son especially as I put my daughter to bed later that night. I held on a little longer than normal. I thought that while his son might not remember his dad in years ahead I’m sure his dad left an indelible mark on his young life. His family will be able to paint those memories more vividly in the years ahead.
I wondered how @fistoffury faced his own mortality. Afterall while people have your back you have to embark that journey on your own. Upon seeing his funeral mass and hearing about his sense of Irishness during his eulogy it might have been with the same steely resolve and bravery of other patriots gone before him. His values, and passing those onto his son during his short time on earth, reading Nancy Tillman bedtime stories to his son with his wife and his compassion within the community is quite a legacy. While it is impossible to make sense of his passing and what an unspeakable tragedy it is for all who knew and loved him, therein might lie the true meaning of life.
While many on here did not know him you got a sense of him. Probably too smart to be dragged into mindless debates on here. Charting a similar course as he did in everyday life. You can nearly see his evolution of a garsún into a man over the course of 13 years as you can see with many others. Fatherhood definitely knocks the edges off fellas. Listening to his beautiful funeral mass today all that shone were his tremendous humility and devotion to his family and they to him. It was truly humbling to watch and I didn’t see the half of it.
It would be quite surreal for his loved ones, that a man of few words to begin with could be revered in an online community, who would know by the ravenous thread what he had for breakfast, dinner and supper some days. But maybe that was how he intended it. There are fellas you would naturally gravitate to on here and love to share a pint with. @fistoffury was one of those. Who knows, maybe in another life we could have been friends. The fact that others on here are already endeavouring to do things in his name and honour speaks volumes about the humanity of the people on here and what they saw in him. We all have more in common than we think or care to admit sometimes. Whether it be helping those less fortunate than you or simply treating people with respect. Those are the only values that matter when everything is laid bare. While it is easy to forget and slip sometimes, I might go and buy some Nancy Tillman bedtime stories to trace @fistoffurys words to his son.
BTW – Keep fighting the good fight @Faldo. I am pulling hard for you.
