CONTINENTS

Daryl’s passing away came not only as a big shock, but also as a painful mystery. Not only the usual “why” or “how” hanging in the dark winter air, but to many of us there was also another question rearing: “how are we going to go on without a friend?” Somewhat surprisingly, the answer came lightly, in a cold, sunny winter breeze, by itself, or maybe better said, from Daryl himself – we’ll go on doing just what he cared for. Cheers mate!
Friendly, big smile, slightly mischievous, curious, epicurean, such a fun to be with; as all of the friends writing the eulogy on the MyPN INTA site have pointed out. For me, above all, Daryl was someone who deeply cared not only about his family and friends but also about the world at large getting on well together; “together” being the only natural way he would seriously consider possible for all of us.
What two of us often discussed and what we have shared within this community, and finally what made our working together at INTA such a natural fit, was that shared feeling that we are privileged to participate and grow in a community that conformed with our views of how the global community is best being built. Childish enthusiasm and hard work for bringing everyone together to share in the human spirit, this is what I shared with Daryl. I cherished his intuition that a world of togetherness is not only possible but is the most natural form for our future. Now that he is gone this is what I will miss the most. I read about how Neil young felt after loosing his guitar mate Danny Whitten and how he felt insecure and responsible. I hope our sense of community will spare us from creating the “Ditch Trilogy” through pain, but I hope it will still bring inspired contribution from ech one of us.
I know pretty well how Daryl loved traveling, and I know he loved being on all continents, meeting people and making friends, as this was the way he considered natural. Never did his love for others make him move away from his family, his Pittsburgh and his Steelers. They were always there where he was. But at the same time this only gave him strength to see moving across the globe as a form of self-confirmation, of enrichment of oneself and of the others. A duty to go and to be here and there. Result of this is his network of friends from all over the planet. Now, this is network of teary-eyed friends, which are proud of having known him holding our hands with his family.
He felt natural stepping of the plane in Beijing, Munich, Alicante, Toronto or Zagreb, feeling a bit just as James Bond arriving at the scene of his action. Beside the beach, in a nice restaurant overlooking the pool, with a glass of chilled wine in a shade Daryl was getting ready to share his strengths. Our boyish infatuation with 007 brought us some memorable moments at the movie theaters, crossing across the warm parking lots afterwards, under the big American skies still violet after the dusk, where we could both feel that we owe to the world being open, being present and being everywhere. And to have a beer together with our friends. And the wine the evening after. We are all proud to have shared our moment on Earth together with Daryl Grecich.

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