People do not die for us immediately, but remain bathed in a sort of aura of life which bears no relation to true immortality but through which they continue to occupy our thoughts in the same way as when they were alive. It is as though they were traveling abroad. ~Marcel Proust

My morning started with a phone call. My friend, Harley Herrin, died last nigh. He would have been 32 on Saturday.

I keep trying to put feelings into words and can't. I have had many phone calls, texts and IMs today about this. People checking if I knew, others looking for someone to talk to. I am happy to be that for them if they need it. But I can't for the life of me process this for myself.

Harley has been troubled the last few years. His life has tossed him a bunch of curves that no one could have anticipated and he didn't always have time to swerve. At least now it's all straight roads.

Goodbye, Harley. Your bear hugs will be missed. Your spirit can't be - it's part of us all now, making us each more beautiful for it.