A Letter to Gordon

Dear Gordon,
I know this letter is going to be hard for you to read, and believe me, it is hard for me to write. I have faith and hope that I will see you again, but if there is one thing I have learned in this life, it’s that you cannot take anything or anyone for granted. In the time that I have known you, you have always made me to feel as though you cared for me like a son and I can only hope that you know how much that is and was appreciated. You always took a genuine interest in my life, and more importantly in how me and my family were. I know that when you asked me how I was doing it was never just to ask out of courtesy, it was always because you truly cared. I have found you to be a very kind, loyal, and loving person and that will never be forgotten. When I left for this trip I never thought that I might not be seeing you again, and now as I sit here writing this I’m trying to grasp that concept. It’s weird how that works…Some say you don’t know what you’ve got until its gone, well, I want to tell you that in your friendship I do know what I have and it means more to me than I think I could ever put into words. That being said let me also say this. As you know my mom lost her fight with cancer, but my best friend Gino’s dad won his. He had leukemia and at one point it was in 97% of his cells. He was 70 years old and they didn’t know if his body would be strong enough to handle the chemotherapy. He decided to go ahead with it anyway. I watched him go through hell with that chemo, and I know how it can suck the life out of you. He stuck it out and now, one year later, he is cancer free and living life exactly how he did before he had the cancer. I know you to be a strong man, and to have a positive outlook on life. Use that strength and that positivity to fight and to make it through this period so that you can enjoy the many years that are ahead of you and that you deserve. I’m not sure how this letter will find you, but I hope it finds you feeling well and with that smile on your face that I remember so well. I would like to thank you for all that you have given my life. I always looked forward to your visits to the restaurant and to the time that we spent talking. I was always happy to call you whenever I could, and believe me, you were always one of the first people I called when I could. So let me leave you with these words:
Some people are in our lives for a long time while others only make a brief appearance. The most important thing for us to remember is to always be looking for what every person we come in contact with has to offer us, and to always learn from those around us. Though the time that I have known you may have been brief, the time that we spent together always meant a lot to me, and I am a better person for having known you. Keep smiling, keep fighting, and I look forward to seeing you again…
With All My Heart,
Your “son”,
Nick