A Eulogy for a Friend

I read one day while figuring out what to say
at a memorial service for a friend/client/mentor/devil's advocate/editor
that had just passed.



I've said it for some a few times over the years.

I don't give much credence to the actual meaning,
but the way it sounds means a lot,
if some of the circumcised have been saying it for a few thousand years.

Yit•ga•dal ve•yit•ka•dash she•mei ra•ba
be•al•ma di•ve•ra chi•re•u•tei, ve•yam•lich mal•chu•tei
be•cha•yei•chon u•ve•yo•mei•chon u•ve•cha•yei de•chol beit Yis•ra•eil,
ba•a•ga•la u•vi•ze•man ka•riv, ve•i•me•ru: a•mein. 

Ye•hei she•mei ra•ba me•va•rach le•a•lam u•le•al•mei al•ma•ya. 

Yit•ba•rach ve•yish•ta•bach, ve•yit•pa•ar ve•yit•ro•mam ve•yit•na•sei,
ve•yit•ha•dar ve•yit•a•leh ve•yit•ha•lal she•mei de•ku•de•sha, be•rich hu,
le•ei•la min kol bi•re•cha•ta ve•shi•ra•ta,
tush•be•cha•ta ve•ne•che•ma•ta da•a•mi•ran be•alma, ve•i•me•ru: a•mein.

It’s kind of like talking to your great x 20 grandparents.

I think Ed would want me to say:

Forget what you give, value what you get,
return what you borrow, replace what you break,
and forgive quickly.

Do the right thing when no one’s looking,
leave others better off for having known you,
and the world a better place than you found it.

Give your family a better chance to succeed
than your forefathers gave your parents
and your parents gave you.

Do the most good, in the best way,
with as many people for as long as possible.

Hope everything happens the way it does.

Sing, laugh, cry, don’t worry, let go, feel good, love,
and have as much fun as soon as possible
with the least amount of risk for as long as you can.