I didn’t know Richie well, not on a human to human level. I have known him most through his sister Ann and her experience over the years.
We shared only a few weeks together back in 1975—just a brief crossing of paths whilst he was digging for gold on the Smith River in Northern California, a blink in the long span of years. And yet, here I am, nearly half a century later, remembering him with a deep love and reverence.
Some souls arrive in our lives without explanation, without fanfare, without demand. They leave no grand stories, no long histories—only a quiet deep impression that stays long after they’ve gone. Richie was one of those souls for me.
When I heard he had passed today, I felt a stillness rise. The ache of grief, but also the soft hush that comes when the sacred brushes past. A reminder—once again—of how fleeting and precious this life is. How the heart keeps its own record, separate from time.
I never told Richie he left an impression on me. Never said, You mattered. But I offer it now, in this space between us—wherever his spirit may be:
Thank you, Richie. Thank you for your presence. Thank you for your light. Even in the briefest time, you touched something real.
And through it all—through years, silence, and the mystery of passing — Love endures. May you travel lightly now, dear soul. And may we who remain remember:
Even a fleeting presence can leave the heart forever changed.
Nigel
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