Wiardgroup

Dear Norman,
>
> I've been going through some heavy personal changes in my life, and my
> internet time is a lot lower than it was.  Over the last 15 months I
> lost both parents, one of my in-laws and an old and dear friend.  All
> suddenly, and my father was actually killed by a motorist.  The main
> knock-on effect of this is that I had to close my bike shop three
> weeks ago.  It's been pretty tough, at times almost as much as a man
> can bear, actually.
> 

My deepest sympathy for your loss. I have also lost both parents and had 10 years to 
grieve. The last thing anyone in grief can stand to hear is any platitude.
But I will try to say something the tiny wisdom time has brought, and hope there is even 
the smallest comfort in it.

It is a a blessing to care so deeply for a person that you feel agony at their loss.
Some people will never love anyone or anything, and they live unaware in the true poverty.
The hidden gift you receive by surviving, is you get to meet the whole person, instead of 
the person they showed to you, you can begin to grasp all that they keep from you for your 
protection. And appreciate the cost they paid for it.

Sam from Sam & Dave said a "soul man" is a person of any race who has exhausted every 
internal strength and resource, but somehow picks them self up and goes on.

It is not not a club anyone could or would join by choice. But you know when you get 
there.

Each artist will be forced to face nearly as daunting a dilemma at some point in life, doubt 
will whisper "has all this devotion been only folly, can I even create any real value?". And 
again it will be painful and again you will be forced to make a fateful choice.

> Grant, please be careful w/r/t what you do here!  I used to complain
> about my business,

That was not a complain, it was a warning. The second stage of grief is anger, and my 
anger say's "Use it of lose it folks, there has never been a third option".

Wisdom comes from the slow painful extraction of innocence. And what innocence I have 
left will be husbanded VERY carefully.

I would suggest all of you do the same.