Hey everyone.

So, in T minus 3 hours I’ll be at camp firwood. That means there will be less frequent posts. You’ll have to rough it out. I’m ready for camp. Last night I wasn’t, but now I think I am. Deep breath and then go team.

Strange thing happened. I think a friend of mine died. I really am not sure. I joined a facebook group that was made for the purpose of remembering a man named Patrick Hickey. I didn’t hear anything other than that. I joined it thinking that it was a joke since I did know that he moved home. Although, it’s a fairly elaborate hoax if it’s not real. I remain unsure if he’s really gone. Still, I feel that it’s appropriate to tell you about him.

I knew the man. He and I went to NCMSLC together. That stands for National Christian Multicultural Student Leadership Conference. That conference was (for lack of a better word) kinda crappy. Patrick and I stayed in the same room. We both went to the crappy cafeteria at Anderson University. (Never go there. They have nice people, but it’s a desolate wasteland of a town). We hung out a lot. He had some great insights. He was kind. He was also frikkin’ hilarious. He had this quiet and dry sort of humor that forced you to listen to get his jokes. But when you did they were great. He and I and John Hyde were very good at being skeptical during the whole process. I vented to him quite a bit. He was gracious enough to allow it.

Patrick had dreadlocks. They were bomb. He also dressed in a manner that said, “These are just clothes.” He wore them. I appreciated that. In general I appreciated Patrick. He lived on my friend Tim’s floor and I thought, “man, it must be amazing to have a resident like him.” Seriously, he was a great man. I was impacted by what little of his life I was blessed to have shared. I won’t forget Patrick.

Strangely enough, this is the second time someone has died at the beginning of camp. Last summer it was my good friend and neighbor Malcolm Dyer. I’m still feeling that one. He was an amazing man. I knew him my whole life. Now, at the beginning of this summer we lose Patrick. I am really do not like the trend.

I’m going to a BBQ now, then it’s time for camp. I’m sorry to have brought you down if that’s what I did. In all honesty though, life isn’t always puppies and candycanes. Sometimes it’s really shitty and we lose people we care about. The thing I’ve learned about all this is that you’ve got to let yourself hurt. No matter how much it hurts. Take the time you need to experience your own suffering. Blocking it out just disrespects the dead. The end of their impact on your life is worth mourning.