To Bigger, Better Gardens, Alan.

The building Gardener, Alan, passed away yesterday after suffering a heart attack. I was surprised to see the announcement posted in our building elevator, this morning. It's always sad to see good people go. What made it sadder, was that he was still quite young. He was probably in his late 30s or early 40s. It just goes to show, that you never know what's ahead. Don't push off life's enjoyments to a later day, since you might never get to see that day...

The last time I talked to Alan, was shortly before the wedding. I was with my Dad, and Emma. I'd felt bad about not remembering his name, though he remembered my name, my fiance's name and even our dog's name. He was asking how our wedding plans were going as he was giving Emma treats, like he usually did. We talked about how he used to be a lawyer, and decided the stress was not for him, so he became a gardener. I found that quite admirable in itself. Most of us find it difficult to switch from a higher paying job to a lower paying job, once we've become accustomed to more money. I could definitely relate in that regard.

I'll miss seeing him periodically when walking Emma. I know lots of people in the building would feel the same, since often I would see him sitting on the grass, taking a break from planting, and chatting with them. Even the kids loved him. Over the summer, he planted a strawberry plant for the kids to pick. That's just the kind of guy he was.

Alan, you'll be missed.

[Addendum: I talked to Cathy, and she talked to him the day before his heartattack. She said he seemed totally fine. He was 46, but he looked much younger than his age. Apparently he biked for 2 hours every day. He certainly seemed to be in very good health. How crazy is that?!]