I’ve never met my wife’s father. Frank passed away long before we met, in the early 90s when she was still a teenager. Yet, I feel like I know him, admire him, and would have really enjoyed having a relationship with him.
My wife, and her mother, still talk about him often. What comes through loud and clear is his kindness, his gentility, his curiosity, his love of his family, and a love of music, computers, and learning in general.
His life was far too short, but it was well-lived. He is still remembered and beloved by his family decades later. That is something to aspire to, and I only hope that I can grow into that kind of person.