“It is not death that a man should fear; but he should fear never beginning to live.” – Marcus Aurelius

On September 3rd, a good friend of mine died. Tragically. Even absurdly. While playing with his granddaughter and son in the ocean, his favorite place to be, he apparently hit his head on a rock while diving under a wave, was knocked unconscious, and then drowned. Crazy. And yet, that is the precious and ultimately unpredictable reality of life. We never actually know when it will end for us.

Tony was 62 and was just about to celebrate his 31st sobriety anniversary. In fact, his celebration of life ceremony was held on that exact day! It was most definitely a life well-lived. Tony exuded what I am constantly talking about: a conscious man. A father of 3 young men, grandfather, and loving husband of over 30 years, Tony was committed to being the best man he could be in every situation he was in. He exuded vulnerability and honesty. Whether it was in his personal or his professional life, his goal was to leave you and your life better than when he first met you or even saw you that day.

Tony was far from perfect but if you could see the smile that emanated from his face or feel the strength of his hug as his arms wrapped around you, you would know that he was a conscious man.

The truth is there is nothing fair about his death. But Tony believed in miracles and he knew that he was one. He found God in the ocean and on September 3rd, God found him there too.

I hope you enjoy this podcast and that it brings to mind the men like Tony you have been blessed to have in your life. Celebrate them – while they’re still alive.

The post A Damn Good Man – A Tribute to Tony Marquez appeared first on Dan Griffin.