I received a phone call this evening that will undoubtedly change the course of my life from this point onward. A dear and trusted friend, indeed more like a brother, decided to take his own life this morning. He had been hurting a lot lately, and we talked often about his struggles. However, over the last few weeks, he seemed to be getting better. He was involved in another musical, and when I asked him about it, he had nothing but good things to say; his positive mentality toward the arts had returned. He was the greatest musician I had ever met, but to mention that one talent of his would be wrong as it would lessen the impact of all his other qualities.

Mike, we had some amazing times over the last decade. We played some great music, showed each other new artists, watched some quality films, had a blast at many plays, discussed all the issues of the times, danced with philosophies both familiar and foreign to us, pondered the emotional ups and downs of life, laughed at our own fallacies and shortcomings, discovered new places and new ways to look at old ones, and confided in one another the depths of human existence. I will never forget these times, and for the remainder of my days here I will regret not being able to talk you into sticking it out in order to create thousands more.

May you find the peace for which you were searching, and if you can part with some, please send it back here for the rest of us.

Goodbye my dear friend, and may we meet again at another time to catch up.

With love,
Zach