Over the past several weeks, some readers may have wondered whether the island had finally drifted too far out into the Pacific fog.
The truth is simpler and more human than that.
A dear old friend of mine passed away recently, and the loss struck harder than I expected.
At my age, one understands that such things are part of life, yet understanding does not make the empty chair any less noticeable. We shared many years, many conversations, and more memories than I could possibly fit into a single post.
So I stepped away for a little while. In fact, I deleted the blog entirely because it suddenly seemed like a frivolous activity in the face of what had happened to my friend.
My friend was in his late seventies and suffered a stroke that left him completely blind. Having no family, he decided he did not want to wither away in a nursing home, relying on the kindness of strangers for the rest of his life. Instead, he chose to end his life through assisted suicide, which is legal in Austria, where he lived.
His sudden blindness, and his equally sudden decision to end his life, hit me hard. It prompted me to reflect on my own life as hundreds of memories of my friend passed through my mind.
My friend ended his life this past February. He walked into that chamber knowing he would not walk out again. He donated his body to science. Nothing remains of him except a few photographs and the memories carried by those who knew him.
Thank you to everyone who continued visiting the site during the pause. Before long, we will return to our usual discussions of island life, world affairs, fishing seasons, storms, ferries, budgets, rumors, and all the small things that make up the human condition.
For now, I simply wanted to say thank you for your patience.
P.S. I lived in Austria for 25 years, and this is for my friend: “Sag’ beim Abschied leise Servus.”
