Missing Bert


At the very end of August, 2011, a wonderful friend passed away. He was a young man who enjoyed life to the maximum. Bert Lozano loved family and friends and put smiles on the faces of everyone he knew. He was 42. FORTY. TWO.


His death was a big slap in the face. A big kick in the gut. It took the very breath out of many of us. "Untimely," doesn’t even begin to describe it. All of us who knew Bert had to think of his death as a huge wake-up call. The phrase "Life is too short" suddenly became words to live by.


A few days after his death, there was a funeral in his hometown, and a few days after that, in the early days of September, there was a celebration of his life here in San Antonio. The San Antonio celebration was sad and sweet and funny and wonderful. Friends shared memories of Bert. There was laughter through tears.


Bert’s death and the memorial reminded me of the different times I have encountered death. Sometimes family members, sometimes friends. It happens. We’re told that it’s part of The Circle Of Life. Still.


Such loss reminds us just how precious life is. It reminds us how dear we all are to each other. At least that’s what I think Bert taught many of us. Love one another. The lesson continues.

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