Funeral for a Friend

I watched Michael, this morning, put on the suit he wears to funerals and weddings. It's a Tuesday, so this is not for a wedding, it is indeed for a funeral for a friend. He is going to work first, and then on out to a place where he and all of our friends from his department will lay to rest one of their own.
We have two families. Our first family is the blood relatives we keep, mostly back in Ohio. The second family are the people he works with. The company Michael is employed by has always provided our deep friendships and secondary family. When we lived back in Ohio it was the same as it is here. We hung out with his co-workers, celebrated big life accomplishments, attended weddings, and spent holiday parties together. Michael has worked for this company for over 26 years, more than half his life, so it only makes sense that we are our own "band of brothers". Much like a fraternal organization, we are a tight group who watches after each other.
Today, they go off and bury one of their own. Their co-worker and friend, a cherished member of the family died with the "brothers" while on an outing. Suddenly, devastatingly, he fell, had a heart attack and never recovered. Surrounded by his friends, he was taken care of until it was time to let him go. He was only 46.
My dearest friends are heartbroken these days. First it was because the company came up, flatly announced that the band was being broken up, into little fragmented pieces, by shipping whoever was left, to another city 1200 miles away from our current homes. With very little consideration to the personal destruction the move would cause in every family involved, the group was then left to wait for any details, which so far have not come. This has the potential to go on for two more years.
Last week, the sudden death of a much loved friend has left the group, who is normally happy, always ready to help and forever making each other laugh, bereft and feeling as though they have been forever altered.
I kissed Michael goodbye this morning, reminded how fortunate I am for every day he is in my life. I watched him walk out of our tiny apartment with slumped shoulders and new lines across his face. He almost never complains. He almost never feels sorry for himself. He faces things like this with the same grace he faces every other big life changing event. He is a quiet man. I realize that others think he is quiet in order to maintain balance, since I am most definitely not. The truth is, he has always been a quiet man. My heart beats for him now. I have prayed for our second family a thousand time since things became turbulent, continuing to pray for them every day, especially now.
I am selfish when it comes to our friends from his office. I adore them. I want us to be together until it is time for him to retire. And even then, I want to spend our golden years enjoying the friendships we have all cherished.
My heart goes out to my fiends today. May God bless them in unexpected ways and allow them to be happy again very soon.