There are days when you find out for sure that life isn’t fair. We are all here, not by some grand design, but by the simple accident of our birth. We live our lives by how we choose and how we are directed and educated by others. We are not in the hands of fate and we are probably not being watched over by some kind of supernatural being. We really don’t know how it will all end and we would probably not want to.
The village where I live has lost one of its own today. A fit young man of 30 who played football at a high level and who, just a few weeks ago, told me that he had decided to return to play for his own village team because he wanted to be with his mates. And now, after a terrible injury last Saturday, he is no longer with us. No. Life just is not fair.
I was not his best friend, but Ben Hiscox had a way of making you think you were. Always funny, always kind, always with enough time to pass the time of day, Ben was much loved in Stoke Gifford. I would see him almost everywhere, including our local pub, The Beaufort, the local shops, the local football club and he would always make me laugh. Only last week, I was trying to persuade him to resume playing cricket this summer. He was not a bad player, but cricket is so much more than being a good player. The social life and comradeship makes village cricket a very special place to be. It won’t happen now and Stoke Gifford football and cricket clubs will be lesser places without him.
Only last night, I had heard encouraging news of Ben’s recovery. Just two days after the injury, we were beginning to see light at what seemed to be a very short tunnel. Soon we would all be laughing and joking and Ben would undoubtedly be at the forefront of the mickey taking, or the butt of it. He could give it out but he sure as hell could take it too.
The last thing I expected to hear this morning was that he had not made it. The village is numbed now, nothing else really matters. This is a close knit village where everyone knows each other and everyone looks after each other. There are some strong characters here and they will now be needed more than ever before as the terrible shock hangs over us all.
Our thoughts are with his family and friends for they have lost a top man who had the world in front of him. Everything will be raw for a long time to come and some wounds take a lifetime to heal.
The world carries on turning and somehow we have to get on with life but it is so hard when something so utterly sudden and cruel cuts short such a meaningful and happy life.
Life is so unfair that sometimes it can break your heart. There are broken hearts all over our village today and I just hope that somehow they can be mended. It is hard to celebrate the life of someone who was taken far too soon.
Sleep well, my friend. We will never forget you.
