A Tribute to a Jolly-Old-Soul
A tribute to all the good ones we have lost
{inspired by and especially for Joshua Canning}.
"Best friend of many and a stranger to none" as one of his friends described him.
Connected by circles of friends, one of those matriarchs that brought many together. Only in the best of ways. Over years of many shared celebrations and passing encounters, I can't recall anything less than a happy-go-lucky, jolly-old-soul. A face that beamed love perched on a body perfectly packaged for bear hugs. A rambling, free-spirit often seen cruising about on that almost too-small, cruiser style bike.
I have no idea if he had dreams of an idealistic wife; to go along with two kids, and that white picket fence. I tend more to believe that the zest that he put into each moment left little time out for desiring anything much other than just what he had.
Dreams and idealisisms, maybe for you or me, but Josh leaves only the reminder of how important and free can be to just be with life in the moment.
with stories and sorrow, a town came together to celebrate one who in the end all agreed {but may not have really noticed in the moment} on what he had achieved. Much more than all the earthly desires. Wealthy in spirit, and simply free to just be.
He left these great lessons along with the sorrow, I can only imagine he was called to a tend some great big mission or higher duty, paving roads for our future, hoeing gardens and planting seeds that bring peace to the planet. One we can only imagine until we are able to see into the big scheme of things.
Nothing seems to universally touch the core as it does when ones born and again when its gone on. Love is the only thing I can think of that fits in the middle and reaches that deeply into the core.
If, indeed, in the end, love is purpose of our existence in the middle and makes the circle of life feel complete, I'd say Josh hit the nail on the head, leaving circles of friends, banded together, honoring him and his message of how simple it is to just be and to love.