2008 - RIP

Ah Friends, dear friends, as years go on
And heads get gray
Touch hands, touch hands, with those that stay.


Quoted above is a short verse discovered some years ago. Regretfully, no citation is available, lost in the course of time.

But the sense of it fits the closing days of 2008.

What a year it has been!

We are sure that the events of this year will be catalogued, probed, and dissected by folks for a very long time.

The Study hopes to be a part of those goingson [is that a word?].

An early contribution to that effort is the observation that a lot of really good people, mature folks we were very aware of when we were young (er), are now passing from the scene.

A partial list:

Sir Edmund Hillary; Bobby Fischer; Margaret Truman; Van Johnson; Eartha Kitt; Doug Fraser; Paul Newman; Richard Widmark; Edie Adams; Charlton Heston; Eddy Arnold; Dick Martin; Cyd Charisse; George Carlin; and Dr. Mike Debakey.

We rather doubt that every year sees such an attrition of the important and the interesting.
At least we hope not.
And this is but a partial list.

Take a moment on the Eve of the New Year to touch a hand or to at least raise a glass to friends and relatives, living and dead, who have been or who are a part of your lives.

There is at least a very good chance that we will pass this way but once.

It is good not to miss the opportunity.