by Dave Williams
A few years ago I lost my dearest friend in the world to lung cancer. Her name was Sharmayne. I went to visit with her before she died and what struck me wasn’t so much the terrible suffering she endured as the realization that dying is an unimaginably lonely thing to do.
This was Sharmayne’s last journey and she told me it was one she had to take by herself.
Sharmayne and I loved each other though we didn’t share political views.
You can see where this is going, right?
I used to work with Rush Limbaugh. We were also friends who spent time together away from work. We never discussed politics away from the radio station. I didn’t always agree with him but it didn’t matter to either of us. We enjoyed each other’s company.
Social media being what it is the reaction to Rush’s late-stage lung cancer diagnosis was predictable. The haters are tweeting, “Good. I hope you die sooner rather than later.”
I wish one of those people would say that to my face.
Look me in the eye and tell me you hope my friend will die soon.
They never would, of course. Life in cyberspace has no rules or morals, no conscience or personal responsibility.
I know Rush and I can tell you this for sure: hate rolls off of him like water from a duck. You’re not hurting him, you’re callousing your own heart.
You can hate his politics or even the man himself but when you wish death on a person you need to explore your own soul. You really do.
PS. Sharmayne and Rush were great friends, too. They were as politically far apart as they could be but whenever they got together they were laughing like hell over who knows what. They touched each other’s hearts.
Good God Dave, I honestly believe that social media has become less of a tool for connecting with friends and family and more into a weapon for frightened people who think so little of themselves that they use it as a way to puff themselves up, and tear others down. I have bleeding heart liberal friends and friends who align more with Rush than anything no matter, friends are friends and politics should be the last thing to come up in a conversation with friends. I sometimes found Rush as funny as can be when listening to him on KFBR, what was that thing he did? The Gerble alert?? LOL I listened to him regardless of his in your face commentary, as it turns out I discovered many years later that Rush Was Right in more ways than one. I am sending quiet prayers his way and hope his journey is a gentle one.