Thread: LoCash
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crazychester
Dick in the Abstentia, The
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2005-05-31, 21:41

Vale Jack.

Despite our past differences, I had a lot of time for you. When I saw this thread last night, I hoped it would turn out to be an elaborate joke. But I knew it wasn't. I gather from something Paul said that Jack had a sister who died and I vaguely recall this being mentioned in the past. The loss of one child is gut wrenching. To lose two is simply too awful to even contemplete. My heart goes out to Jack's parents.

Perhaps something the living can get from this, is a little perspective. That the bitterness of last year was because people cared, because they valued what they had so highly. It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking you've lost something irreplaceable until you really do lose something irreplaceable. Passion may result in angry words but what it signifies is far preferable to indifference.

Yeah, passion, that's the word.

Without passion, what you've got is just an internet forum, anonymous names that live only in cyberspace. Add passion, and you get something that straddles the real and cyberspace worlds. The downside, as we're now being painfully reminded, is that reality bites. That's why many, myself included, are having so much trouble getting their heads around this.

Jack had passion in spades. His loss reminds me not to take things for granted.

In spite of whatever words have been exchanged in the past or might be exchanged in the future, I value all the passionate people who have made AI and AN not just internet forums to me but something unique and precious. Words are cheap. Passion is priceless.

I note there's no word from Brad who, as cofounder of AN, I imagine has probably been hit for six by this news. I'm sure somebody's already thought to contact him and is looking out for him. I don't know what to say to Brad except I'm sorry and hang in there. Putting my thoughts into words is proving diffficult at the moment.

Take care all.

Please.
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