Misc. Ramblings

Today's post is devoted to the passing of fellow Daynoter Mike Barkman.

Each of us plays many roles in life. Michael John Barkman was a husband, father, retired pharmacist/entrepreneur, and member of the Daynotes Gang. But more importantly, Mike was a rich man.

No, not in the way you are probably thinking.

Mike was rich in the way Emerson described Thoreau as being rich: "He chose to be rich by making his wants few..."

Mike was rich in having found a soul mate not once, but twice in life.

Mike was rich in the love of his children: Sue, Ross, and step-daughter Joanna.

Mike was rich in his beloved home in Rotorua, New Zealand.

But what struck me about Mike was that he wast most rich in his positive attitude and outlook on life. I think this was reflected in the name of his site, Icarus Ascending. In the many email discussions I've had with Mike over these too short years, he has always been a gentle man with an ever positive disposition. Even when he announced his medical problems, he never let it get him down. He would even joke about it saying whatever pain he was enduring was better than the alternative.

When, one day not too long ago, he wrote about the new prescriptions he was given I did some checking on what they were. From that, it became clear to me that Mike probably didn't have a lot of time left as these powerful and very toxic drugs were given only as a last resort. But you would never have known it from his postings or emails. Indeed, his last post ended with this ever positive sentence: "So that's me up-to date; still in there swinging!"

In closing, I'd like to say thank you to Mike for making me richer because of his example on how to live one's life:

If you aim for the sun,
You'll get close
to the heat.
Better that your wings melt
Than never to have flown.

Aloha O'e.. /Dan