This one is not about birds – forgive me – although many birds were seen on fishing trips with my great friend Arne Gillam – some even appreciated by him although his focus was on the hoped for trout.  Last night I read an email from another great friend who is having a tough time and I thought of the value of simple solid friendship.  That stirred my memory of Arne and I recalled something I wrote about him, about friendship and about loss not long after his unexpected passing almost 6 years ago now.

I debated whether to add this to my newly found blog space.  Then I thought about how all of us have had losses in our life: family, friends, loved ones.  We all know the pain and we all have the memories.  Take comfort in those memories and in creating new ones.

Remembering my great lost friend Arne Gillam…

 

 

There are very few people in the world who…

• Are at peace and in being so help others be at peace as well…
• Can listen with an open mind and an open heart and understand with both as well…
• Can always be counted on not just to do what they say but to also know what to say and how to do it…
• Can remember the three left turns and four right turns needed to get to wherever it is and get them right every time…
• Enjoys every day on every river, no matter the number of strikes or long line releases or fish in hand, because every such day is a gift and a remembrance of what is really worthwhile in the world…
• Can honestly, steadfastly and skillfully negotiate for his client’s best interests and all the while do so treating the party on the other side as an adversary as necessary but never as an enemy and always with respect, decency and a shared common interest of possibilities…
• Is equally comfortable catching the first fish, the most fish or the biggest fish as he is watching another do the same…and knows that the next time, the roles may be reversed…
• I can be comfortable with as a passenger in a car driving just as fast as I would, because I know I need neither be in control nor worry about skill and safety…
• Teach and exemplify the meaning and value of true friendship every day and in every way…
• Can accept shortcomings in others without judgment knowing that none of us is perfect…
• Speaks volumes even in silence by strength of character and action…
• Walks the walk when others merely talk the talk…
• Is passionate about life and his family and his friends and his interests…
• Has never stopped growing and wanting to know more…
• Is my friend, my teacher, my student, my fishing buddy, my confidante, my source of great happiness…

Arne, you were all of these and much more. You have greatly enhanced my life and will always be with me, be alive in me. I am and will be forever grateful and thankful for the moments, hours, days, years we have shared.

I could not have asked for a better friend. You could not have been a better person. While I am going to miss you in so many ways, every time I do, I will also remember how wonderful it has been to be with you and I hope that whatever is ahead for you in the plan that God has for you, you will find some time to recall that as well.

I really do love you Arne…you are the best.

P.S. I really don’t know anything about what comes “next”, but if somehow that includes ANY influence over the fishing “gods”, I would really appreciate it if you could let me land one of those big fish. I promise I will look up in thanks and may even give it a kiss from you as I release it.

What do you say…Let’s see what is ahead for us over the next hill…

 

Cherish your friends. 

Be as good a friend as you can be. 

Share the moments and the memories…