Requiescat in Pace (Rest in Peace)

I received some unsettling news today.  A friend and mentor passed away yesterday.  He was an active member of the community, of local associations, and an avid volunteer.  Someone I respected.   Someone who was always upbeat and had nothing but positive things to say.  Insanely successful in everything he did, the epitome of a great salesman.  Someone who just recently wished me a happy birthday. Someone who reminded me of my Grandfather, full of catch phrases and good advice.  Unfortunately, though, his passing was not one of old age but of suicide.  I'm saddened that someone who seemed to to have the world on a string could find the pressures of every day life too much.  It doesn't leave the rest of us much hope if someone as wonderful as him could succumb.

Backdraft

Backdraft (n): an explosive event at a fire resulting from rapid re-introduction of oxygen to combustion in an oxygen-starved environment, for example, the breaking of a window or opening of a door to an enclosed space.  Backdrafts present a serious threat to firefighters, even those with a high level of experience. (source: wikipedia.com)

The above is a metaphor for the relationship scenario I spoke of in Tuesday's blog.  Myself and the friend are the firefighters, the relationship is the oxygen starved environment, and our breaking of the news most certainly caused a backdraft.  So what to do now?  Let the building burn.  Maybe sell the rights to the story for a new episode of Rescue Me.