We're all Sean and Meghan

This editorial is about Sean Michael Daly, about Parkinson's disease, and about the people who attended Sean's memorial service last Thursday.

But most of all, it's about you.

Sean was only 56 years old when he succumbed to complications from Parkinson's disease. He died April 18, in the middle of Parkinson's Awareness Month. On the same day his memorial service took place - it wasn't planned to coincide - The Press published a column about how Parkinson's is easily misdiagnosed. The column contained so much easy-to-understand information that one local Parkinson's patient came to the newspaper office that day to express his gratitude for "filling in blanks I've had the past three years, when I was first diagnosed."

Despite his affliction, nobody could say Sean's life was not well-lived. Proof packed Real Life Ministries, where an estimated 1,000 attended his memorial service. Many of them had seen Sean recently, but we're writing about this today because of a particularly poignant farewell from someone who had not. The following was posted on Sean's obituary at cdapress.com:

Hi Sean:

Not a day goes by that I have not thought about you. Wanting to hear your voice just one more time and now your voice is silent. It has been over 17 years since we have seen each other, and with much regret I didn't get to say goodbye. I never stopped loving you Sean. Please know that.

I love you. Your little sister Meghan

Our hearts go out to Meghan and to the entire Daly clan, including the host of friends he leaves behind. Yet we're also deeply grateful for Meghan's reminder.

Most stuff doesn't really matter, when you get right down to it. The clock is ticking, for every single one of us, on the things that do.