Dust

We never really spoke much as kids, Kevin and I. I have a feeling our parents knew each other quite well, as african families do, but we led quite separate lives. Our relationship thereafter was quite facebook, you know the sort, you get to know them through the updates that filter onto your wall, maybe exchange the occasional ‘like’ or witty comment. I talked to him quite recently actually, his interest in graphic design led him to app creation, and his illustrations were great. He asked to feature some of my work and we chatted for a while. And now he’s gone.

A double arrest in ICU is all it took to take him from feeling under the weather to pushing up daisies. Twenty four hours. It’s staggering how fast it all took place, and really made me think hard about how transient our lives are, like flowers, here for now and gone in an instant.

Another friend of mine, Richard, died recently, but that didn’t help me escape the deep uneasiness of Kevin’s departure; he was my age, people that young aren’t supposed to die, but they do. I guess it just hit really close to home. We do live life thinking we’re invincible, at least implicitly, and if you don’t believe this, just ask, what would you do if this was your last day? Why isn’t every day like that? We all live assuming we’ll get to see tomorrow, all the while, God may have very different plans.

Rest in peace, brother.