When Heroes Fall

Alex Trebek is gone, fallen victim to pancreatic cancer.

He was a good man, a staunch Christian, as recorded in his words, from Guideposts (the embedded link in the quotation is a tribute to his wife, Jean):

“There were moments of great pain, days when certain bodily functions no longer functioned, and sudden massive attacks of great depression that made me wonder if it really was worth fighting on. But I brushed that aside quickly because that would have been a massive betrayal–a betrayal of my wife and soulmate Jean who has given her all to help me survive. And it would certainly have been a betrayal of my faith in God and the millions of prayers that have been said on my behalf.”

Pancreatic cancer is a horrible, cruel thing...the pain it engenders is unreal, and the humiliations, in uncontollable bowels and vomiting and soul-destroying fatigue and depression...well.

I never met Mr. Trebek. But his fight, carried out in faith and in public, was my lodestar.

If he could do it, I could try.

I am bereft. I know I should look to God, but I did look to Alex.

Hope isn't canceled, but it took a hit (and cancel is the Five Minute Friday word prompt this week).

The world’s a little paler

beneath the winter sky,

and hope is somehow staler

when heroes have to die.

We followed your bright shining light,

courage like the hardest stone,

but now God has called the fight

and gently brought you home.

I’m glad your battle’s finished,

and that Heaven is your gift,

but my heart, it feels diminished

and I find myself adrift

upon a sea without a shore

where your tall sails are seen no more.

A musical tribute from the Dropkick Murphys, with Forever. If the video doesn't come up, please click here.)

"Your strength is the power that carried me through...forever."

I do try to answer each comment in a timely fashion, but with Internet providers really stretched, I have only about half of the access I once did. Please bear with me!

Thanks to Carol Ashby, Blessed Are The Pure Of Heart is back on Kindle, and will be available in paperback soon.

Friends are everything. I couldn't have done it.

Below are my recent releases on Kindle -please excuse their presence in the body of the blog. I haven't the energy to get them up as 'buttons' in the sidebar. You can click on the covers to go to the Amazon links.