The Family Man

I was at work today and heard the shocking news over the news that Tim Russert had died. He was such a man of journalism and words and had so many insights into how to live their lives in the world. Now he is gone.

Tributes poured in on the news stations from which he did his work. Music played against the backdrop of the testimonies of others. With the parameter of his dates between two dashes ;1950 to 2008,

On this Friday the 13th bookmarked on the weekend of Father's day, he was sandwiched between his own dad, Big Russ, and his own son, Luke. Testimonies let others know how he is a family man, a man with a strong work ethic and a man with a tremendous faith.

Losses of those who lose their lives lay before us each day. Yet, to see it as someone you have heard or known, it makes the template of death a little too real. I will have to face the number at the other end of the dash. Life is a lot like the 1000 yard dash striving to get ahead and to make something of oneself. But at the end, people will speak of the greatness of the one who lived. Or not. All depending on how they lived their lives.

So to the NBC family and to the world, that is my tribute to the man who I enjoyed listening to when he was on some of the nightly talk shows.

Let me be like him in how I relate to Gary and to my own pop as well. The spitting image of my dad.