I think it was John Edwards (Scriptor Senex) who said on his blog that he no longer will say "blogging" friends when he speaks of his fellow bloggers but will simply call them "friends". I didn't understand the truth of this until I heard this news of Denzil's death.
I can't tell you how happy it made me when Denzil finally made it to Arabia Mountain. He loved the trails around this area but he had never been to Arabia Mountain. When he finally DID visit there, you can tell how he was amazed and thrilled by the experience. Denzil was such a wonderful writer. Now that I have given you that link, you may read his other posts, all such masterpieces of writing. He wrote about his mother's death last June and I just went back and read it again and it is just as I remembered it, just incredible that he could write something so perfectly after suffering such a loss.
He also wrote in the most eloquent way about his Christian faith. Not preachy about it, just honestly and openly and with perfect sincerity.
The last words to the "The Three Bells" are...
"May his soul find the salvation
Of thy great eternal love".
Happy Trails, Densil, happy trails.
Sometimes, people will arrange the rocks on Arabia Mountain and I always ask Richard to take a photo of them. (They are never left that way for long, someone will always come along and destroy the beauty of it.) I can't help but think that Denzil Pugh would have stopped and admired this too.
The flowers that you can see on our local monadnocks (Stone Mountain, Panola Mountain and Arabia Mountain) are truly spectacular. Somehow, to see them against the background of the rock just sets them off perfectly. For example, the flowers on the prickly pear cactus are very beautiful...these must be blooming for Denzil.
Isaiah 35:1King James Version (KJV)
The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.
I don't know him- or his blog- but I will check it out. He sounds like a wonderful man that left us way too soon. I love that people do that with rocks. xo Diana
ReplyDeleteDenzil had a lot of book reviews on his blog, he loved books. He was very active with the Friends of the Library when he lived here in this county.
Deletexx
How sad. I, too, will check out his blog.
ReplyDeleteWe do have our friends with whom we share the world of blogging; to lose one is just as sad as it when we lose any friend.
I was really shocked that he died. So sad. I hope that there will be a memorial for him.
DeleteA common love for your mountain cemented a long friendship. I am sorry you no longer have that person to share with.
ReplyDeleteI don't want to pretend a long friendship. I only met Denzil just one time at the library here, but I still felt that he was a friend through blogging. He is the only follower of mine who had lived here in Rockdale County and he knew some of the same people and places that I write about. (He left a comment on my post about Mr. Flynt.) I am so sorry for all family and friends. I hope they won't mind me writing this post about someone they are so close to.
DeleteThat Denzil died quite unexpectedly and was (probably) in his early forties reminds me strongly of my husband. Steve died completely unexpectedly, too; only five days after his 41st birthday.
ReplyDeleteI don't know whether Denzil has left a partner and/or children behind, but he has certainly made a lasting impression on those who have been reading his blog, and probably also with people who were his friends in real life.
Denzil was unmarried and he did not have children. I know his brother is married and still lives here in Conyers. It must have been a shock, just as you know. Denzil was someone who really loved books, I think he wrote several reviews on GoodReads. And they remind me of your reviews, all so well written!
DeleteMay he rest in peace.
ReplyDeleteIf you read his last post from the end of April, you will notice the final sentence in his post.
DeleteSorry for the loss of your friend. And you're right, they're not just blogger friends, they're friends. When one stops blogging I always worry.
ReplyDeleteI know, I do the same thing. What will happen to his blog posts? Will they stay there forever? Or will blogger make them go away? I wonder, I really don't know.
DeleteI am so sorry to read of the death of your friend. Far, far, too young. I will go and read his Arabia mountain post now.
ReplyDeleteI was blown away by that post, there was so much that was in his mind after he climbed the mountain! You should read the post that he wrote for his mother after she died last June also. Heck, read them all if you can!
DeleteI agree that our "blogging" friends actually become just friends because we share so much about ourselves to each other that we begin to care as well. I sorry you lost your friend, Kay. Your mountain is amazing and I'm glad your friend got to see it.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kay. I love that you call it "my" mountain! Of course, it isn't but I love it as if it were mine! And I am glad that you understand how much it pleased me that Denzil got to experience Arabia Mountain and saw it the same way that I do.
DeleteThanks again, my FRIEND! xx
Thanks for sharing Denzil's post with us, Kay. Sorry to hear about his passing, but I believe he is now at the top of a mountain again--similar to what he describes.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your weekend.
Yes, at the top of his mountain! Thank you very much for your comment!
ReplyDeleteWishing you a safe and happy long weekend with your family. God bless.