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“Here are the young men the weight on their shoulders”…
Most people muddle through life’s slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. They find a way to deal with the highs and lows, the wax and wane of good times and the bad times. For some though, life is unnavigable. A mystery so baffling and a journey so littered with snares, they are unable to complete it, let alone cope with.
Something strange happens to many men in their 40’s. It happened to me. There is a realisation of receding youth. That time ahead is less. Of approaching mortality. A realisation that we will never achieve our youthful dreams. Of failure. For most of us, we eventually come to at least an accommodation with this reality. But for some of us, it gnaws away like a worm in our souls and the resentment keeps growing, year after year.
I met Dan, via his partner, 8 years ago, maybe longer, I can’t remember. Our kids went to the same primary school and as any parent will tell you, when your kids go round each-others houses a lot, you get to know their parents a lot. Dan and his partner were glamorous, vivacious, outgoing and raconteurs. We got on well. They became good friends.
