—wasn’t a great man but he was a good one, honest in his emotions, kind, generous with his possessions, time and money. That generosity eventually made him wary of being used but he still befriended many people, people that cycled through his life sporadically, and with few exceptions, were always welcome.

He was big, with a great big heart and a voracious appetite for life. He loved to spread laughter and sampled life like a buffet. His preference was for the positive over the negative. His motto says it all, “Make things better.”

His primary battle was with depression and it cast a shadow over much of his adult life. He wasn’t afraid of boundaries or of what was popular. He would acknowledge faults and guilty pleasures alike with a wry smile.

He was captivated by the arts: music, drawing and painting. He dreamed of being an artist but found it easier to create using words more than lead or ink.

He loved often and unconditionally, but learned to keep it a secret. He stopped giving himself a chance for—