Goodbye Andy

Sometimes I read about the death of a public figure and it kind of resonates within me due to some personal connection. Whether it was some athlete from a professional sports team that I followed in my youth or an actor whose work I enjoyed, I tend to take a few moments to raise up my appreciation for them and to say a silent goodbye.

Earlier this week the headline caught me unexpectedly that Andy Griffith had died. I felt a little piece of me fall away at that news. I still remember coming home from high school and watching The Andy Griffith Show on our local UHF channel. Certainly with the availability of Nick at Nite, I have seen every episode multiple times over the years. A simple show, with embraceable characters, with heart and a good message. In the 1980s when I was in high school, I was a regular viewer of Andy Griffith's lawyer show Matlock. Another enduring program about a good-hearted man with a fire in his heart.

Maybe part of my melancholy of this death is because I am more cognizant of my own mortality as more and more of the people that I grew up with grow old and pass on. Maybe also part of my pain is the loss of a good man who impacted several generations with his portrayals of decent men with morals. Those roles are fewer and much more far between than ever before. Maybe, too, it is because I have spent so many hours watching him that I feel some sort of bond. Mr. Griffith, I enjoyed our time toether. Rest in peace and goodbye.