October 6, 2023

This week I heard from one of my closest high school friends, letting me know her father had died. I was sad to hear of his passing and grateful my friend reached out. It had been many years since I had seen him, but during high school he was like a second father. Always supportive, always joking, listening to our stories, offering advice, chauffeuring us around, and always welcoming me as part of the family. I thought I knew him well, but it was not until I read his obituary that I learned his full story.

I knew Frank was proud of his Jewish heritage, but did not know his family immigrated to the United States to escape Nazi Germany in 1939. Frank was born just after their arrival in New York City and grew up speaking German in his home. I knew he was a lawyer, but I hadn't known he worked on the worked on the Watergate Prosecution staff. I'd known he was a professor, but hadn't realized he'd written a book about the trials of the Holocaust. And those are just the highlights. A week after learning of his death, I continue to be struck by how little I knew of the details of his life. I was a teenager when I knew him best, and likely appropriately self-absorbed, but even so. How easy it is to know so little about one another.

The last time I saw Frank was a number of years ago when I stopped at their house over a Thanksgiving weekend. I showed them photos of my kids and they showed me photos of their latest trip and it was a lovely time, as it always was at their house.

I wish I'd stayed a little longer and asked a few more questions.

My prayer for you this week is for more time and more conversation with people in your life. To be as present for one another as Christ is for us. For My prayer is that we all remember that life is short - may we live and love accordingly. My prayer this week is for Frank, and for all the Franks in the world: good people who will be missed.