Measuring time by the passing of old friends.
I posted this shortly after his memorial, but took it down almost immediately after because it was inadequate. It still is.
Alex was a talented Aikidoist and I had the privilege of being his sempai, training partner, and teacher. His Aikido had precision and power. He left the art too soon.
We didn’t stay in close contact once he and Asako separated and he left the dojo. Every so often we met by happenstance on the street and then at PSU where he was taking writing classes and I guest lectured on real estate.
I did reach out once to ask him to spend a day teaching Kyrian primitive skills.
Although I knew he had started writing, I never read any of his poetry until after he was dead. I had forgotten that he collected and restored axes.
Gonzalo Flores and Leslie Peterson met me at the memorial. A sad context to see old friends. It was difficult to speak with his sister and mother – what does one say to a grieving family whose son and brother took his own life?
Memorial >here<
Protective Arts 