I finally finished your memoir. It, like the majority of your writing is a fine piece of work.

Man. There just are no words. You and I have never met. You don’t know me from Eve, because I’m mostly a reader and occasional commenter. I know you by your writing and only that.

As a reader, I’m attracted to your particular wit. I also appreciate your historical and legal pieces and your particular approach to them. I’ve learned a lot and been extremely entertained since stumbling across your Medium page.

I’ve also read a lot of them to my daughter. She long wanted to be an advocate of some kind. And now she’s thinking about law school with a focus on women’s and indigenous issues, inspired in large part by your essays.

I say this because dying is hard. Having walked that journey with loved ones as far as I can go a couple of times I’ve learned it’s common to wonder at some point, 'what’s it all for?’. We tend to leave more ripples of influence behind than most of us realize. I know from your writing how much you are loved by your family, and how you have loved and stood by them. You’ve also left a legacy through your writing that will endure and you won’t know about. It’s there nonetheless. You’ve encouraged at least one young lady to pursue a particular path toward education and law. I hope knowing that brings you some kind of peace/tranquility/ease.

You’re right, walking on is a journey we are all destined to make. I won’t offer any empty sympathies. I will pray that your journey is as tranquil and easy as possible. And I hope to meet you in whatever comes next when it’s time for me to make my own journey. I’ll bring you a beer and you can Russell digress™ at least as long as the beer lasts.

My thoughts to you and your family during this time.