Another Passing

Were you as shocked as I was this morning at the news of Peter Jennings' passing? Wasn't it just last week that he announced his illness to the world? Okay, maybe it wasn't last week. Maybe it was a few weeks ago. Maybe it was a few months ago. I don't recall. Whatever the time frame, his cancer swallowed him up so quickly and ferociously, it would seem. With all of the resources that money and prestige can afford, he still could not conquer the unconquerable. The human condition is fragile and fleeting.

I'll miss Peter Jennings. Briefly, I'll miss him as his persona passes into history. It's an unusual life that touches so many lives and memories as Jennings' life did. His voice reminds me of the sounds of clearing the dinner table, my dad in is blue work shirt with his sleeves rolled up, my sister and I arguing over whose turn it was to load the dishwasher, the fading evening light, and the softness and security of home.