Irreplaceable
My family and my friends mean everything to me, I appreciate them more since my accident. I never anticipated relying on others so heavily and I never expected to be blessed with such great support.
Anybody who knows me or has read my posts, particularly Hospital Memories Part 1, will understand how lucky I am to have a friend like Ryan.
We started working our very first Saturday job on the same day back when we were 16 and both at school. Over time we grew together as brothers, we became a part of each other’s families. When I had my accident we were sharing a house and were closer than ever.
Over the years our friendship has become unbreakable, our respect for each other immeasurable.
We have been through so much and supported each other through thick and thin. So many experiences and adventures to treasure. So much help through tough times and words of encouragement in times of need.
I had to say goodbye to Ryan yesterday. Today he flies to the other end of the world to begin a new life in Australia.
I have lost something irreplaceable. A constant in my life, a role model I have always looked up to and a friend I have so much admiration for. They don’t come much better.
I don’t know how I would have coped without Ryan’s support and guidance at the time of the accident. He was there for me and my family in a way that you could only understand if you knew the man yourself. I didn’t thank him yesterday when we said goodbye, I hope he knows that I will always love him for that.
It will never be the same without him here, 15 years of history doesn’t seem nearly long enough.
I worry about how much I will miss him being around. Day to day he is the most influential person in my life. I assumed we would be the closest of friends for the rest of my days. Those two old guys you see sitting together at the bar discussing the ‘good old days’ over a drink or two. I already knew some of the things I wanted to say as his Best Man.
I now need to accept that we are on different paths and be grateful for the journey we had together. I am privileged to have had such a good friend for all these years. I could not have asked for any better.
Above all, I wish him well. He deserves all the happiness in the world and I hope he can find in Australia what he couldn’t find here.
- Posted in: Appreciation ♦ Australia ♦ Family ♦ Friendship ♦ Gratitude ♦ Support ♦ Thanks ♦ Uncategorized
Time of your life 
What a testimony to friendship. Well said. I could feel your love for him. I’m sorry he’ll be so far away. But it doesn’t sound like you will ever be without him.
I will always have him as a friend, just need to adapt to a different type of friendship.
I hope you are well Colleen
You seem to have mastered adaptation. And could well give us lessons (which I feel I get when I read your blog).
And just as an interesting side note, to me anyway 😉 In your picture with your friend you and I appear to be sporting the same hairstyle! Unfortunately my hair was cut a WEE too short this past time getting it done. 😉 It looks MUCH better on you!
hahaha, you have me intrigued. Think you need to be posting a picture of your hairstyle. We can set up a poll and let the world decide!
Oh my Steven…is is SO short. I usually wear it short and spiky anyway….but this is SHORT! 😉
Good luck to Ryan in his new adventure. He was in your life for a reason and maybe he’s done what he needed to do…. I do believe certain people come into our lives for a reason and they go when their job is done (if that makes sense) And with the wonders of technology there is always Skype 🙂 x
If he was here to do a job then he has certainly put in some overtime, employee of the year haha. Still, feels like I am left shortstaffed!
E-mail, Facebook, twitter, skype. No excuse for not being in plenty of contact.
Thanks
Haha! Short staffed indeed 🙂
Brilliant mate.
What a great way to acknowledge someone you will miss.
As you say, in the world we live in, E-mail, Facebook, twitter, skype etc, you can both speak as much as you can.
Good on you mate, and to Ryan who I have never met, utter respect for being a friend to Steven. I hope you find what you are looking for in Australia.
Many people are still around and are your friend mate.
Me included.
Thanks Shaun
Ryan won’t read this, he doesn’t know about my blog. Suppose that’s not the point, it was for me to say it more than for him to hear it. He knows how much I value our friendship anyway.
Going to take some time to adapt but I’m sure we’ll get a routine for communication that suits us.
Really appreciate the comment mate, as I always do. Grateful for the support
Steven
Yeah you will find a way buddy, you are resilient enough to do so. As I say, you are a popular lad and have a good support base. Great gesture bud
People in our lives come and go. They come into our lives when we really need them, then leave when their time is up. I am glad that you have met someone like that in your life. In the past few months a friendship with my best friend bloomed, and we formed an incredible bond, one I hope won’t ever end any time soon. But I will enjoy it while it lasts, and if she ever chooses to take another path in life away from me, I wish the best for her, always. Great tribute to a great friend. I too wish the best for your friend Ryan on his new life in Australia.
I’m starting to get to grips with the fact I am better having had the friendship for all those years and losing it than never having had it in at all.
I now need to challenge myself. I need to fill the void that has been left by reaching out to other friends and making more effort with them. Would be so easy to sit in the house and not bother but that only leads to one thing for me, depression.
Thanks for the comforting words and I’m glad you have grown closer to your friend. Enjoy your time together!
Wonderful post … and I hope Ryan, will get a fantastic life in Australia and I know your friendship will always be there. You have to get SKYPE now so you can talk to him when you feel for it.
I lived in UK and Ireland for nearly 20 years … even if the distance wasn’t that fare … my friends was all here for me all the time, nothing changed, when I moved back was it like we never been apart … and we didn’t talk to each other not even once a months. Same now when I return to UK and Ireland, it’s like was yesterday. That is what friendship is about, we are so lucky.
If I can rely on anyone to make the effort then it is Ryan. We will sort something and as I said earlier, I will adjust to accept a different type of friendship.
The biggest benefit in doing this post is the reassurance from so many that I am not losing a friend and realising he will always be there for me.
Thank you for helping
Of course he will … and I think it’s a wonderful farewell gift you gave him through your post.
Your heart and soul are in that post.
Hopefully I can look back on that post in years to come if I need reminded how important he has been.
Thank you again
x
Who knows … he maybe will be back home after a couple of years … I think you will always remember how important he are for you. *smile
Steven you may have lost a close friend, but trust me, you made many more on here, I speak to many about you and the kindness flows. You are a cracking lad. Seriously, you have made MANY friends on here.
Hope you are well buddy.
You ever want to Skype? shaunyg1973
Fire away, I don’t bite 🙂
HH Shaun
I am trying to work away to get Skype and my dragon voice recognition to run together properly. Had this issue for years. As soon as I start the Skype program my microphone sensitivity goes through the roof for general dictation and commands. Been through all the obvious causes and spoken to dragon, no joy so far but I hope I’ll sort something out.
Thank you Shaun, good to know that support is there. Hopefully I can grow some followers from my blog but I’ll keep plugging away. Enjoying having a nosy round about others sites. Reading about subject matters I didn’t realise I was interested in!
Thanks again
Exactly!!
I told you this site you would like.
I see a lot of comments from you and others and seeing you interacting with people I “LOVE” on here is Amazing, as I know they are good people “Like you”
Thanks pal
HH
A hard one with such a great pal moving away but you’ve shown a lot of guts to talk about it here, an open forum. With that brave approach, which we know you’ve shown many times before, you’ll be fine. As you say now to develop a new way of continuing that friendship.
Yeah, thought I might as well let the cyber world know about my bro-mance haha.
Are you well mate?
I’m good thanks. A best pal is priceless. I lost mine years ago in different circumstances and still miss him. But I still think of our good times and it cheers me. I’m talking of quite a few years !
Sorry to hear that. Memories only fade if we neglect to acknowledge them. I’m sure we can both realise that keeping them fresh is so important.
Steven, he’ll always be your friend, no matter where in the world he is. You both have an extra bond because of what you both went through with your accident. As i’ve said before, he sounds like one of the best friends that anyone can ask for. And I bet if we asked him, he’d say the same about there. I bet you’d be there for him as much as he has been for you.
As others have said, you’ve made/are making other friends on Twitter/through this blog (okay, we’re not up to Ryan’s standards), but maybe you’ll be in touch with some people on here, for years to come & class them as friends.
Nobody knows where there journey will take them, but as I said, you’ll always have Ryan in your heart & vice versca.
Anyhow….enough of the soppiness! lol You going to the game on Saturday? Will keep an eye out for you & say hello.
Jackie x
Thanks Jacqueline. Twitter and WordPress have been great social hotspots already. Was with a friend from twitter for lunch today. One of many friends, not just acquaintances.
Ain’t planning on going to any game on Saturday but I may well see you on Sunday…..
X
lol THAT’S what I meant! Was half sleeping yesterday. Will keep an eye out for you on Sunday.
Brilliant words towards your good friend I hope you get over him being away quickly mate just in a good way for your sake. It’s great that you want what’s best for him and you have a right to feel selfish and do not want him to leave. I’m sure from reading whatkkind of person he is that if you really needed him he would fly home to help you.
I am sure you are right Jamie, he wouldn’t hesitate. Unselfishly, let’s hope it never happens!
You are an amazingly strong person! Your love of Ryan reminds me of Jonathan and David in the Old Testament. Isn’t it beautiful that you have such a loving friendship! It will always BE…
Thanks for the kind words. Not sure if Jonathan and David went on wild benders filled with debauchery and craziness but I’ll take your word for it 🙂
In all seriousness, I can’t say I’m familiar with the story but I’m guessing it’s a positive analogy. Thank you for taking the time to read and to comment, I really do appreciate it. You’re right, it will always be…
I just read your beautiful love letter to your friend, Ryan, and I am thinking what a strong bond you have…still, the physical separation is difficult…how are you doing with this separation? Steven, I have been through similar experiences…l like to think that “little love pieces of me” are floating out there in the universe…for we were friends and offered each other goodness…I am positive the same is true for you and Ryan….
Thank you Jane. To be perfectly honest, that post was written very quickly and for my own benefit. Some things I regretted not saying that I should have before he left. The response to it has been extremely surprising, I’m guessing many people can associate to those feelings of losing a very close friend.
Still not quite used to him not being around, only been a couple of weeks and I think it’s something that will take time to reach full impact!
Thanks again friend
I found this on WordPress….take from the story what you can or want to…one man’s interpretation