I want to be like that

Someone at my work passed away on Tuesday. We just had an afternoon tea in their honor. They showed a photo of him when he was young and told stories of him. He had worked here 18 years. I have almost worked here 1. When I started I was very shy and quiet. I didn't want to be so I made a real effort to talk to people. I would even count the number of people I had talked to that day (I don't think it ever got over 5). It was painful for me to talk to someone, it physically hurt. But he was one of the people who talked to me and who I could talk back to without any pain. I felt so much more confident and happy after talking to him. He had a smile that was so kind and so genuine you couldn't help but mirror it. But he is gone now. He died of a heart attack, he was on a waiting list for a heart operation, the same operation my father had, but my father had it in time. I have been thinking about this man and about my father. I don't know if this man had children. He undoubtedly had family and I am so so very sorry  for their loss. I am also so very grateful I haven't had to experience a loss like that. I want to celebrate my family, I want to build my relationship with my father. I have also been thinking about what a difference this man made to my day and to so many other people's day, just by being genuine, friendly, happy. I want to be like that.