Ed Kellner
A remarkable poem by a man from my hometown named Ed Kellner. He recently passed away, but left these amazing words to think about in the last few days before his death. Ed was a great family friend and one of the greatest Helenans ever. He swam over 5700 miles over the later half of his lifetime, and was one of greatest people I have ever met. Above all he was always a true person and a true Montanan. He will be missed.
Looking Back
It’s an unmarked trail to the Great Divide
And it’s uphill much of the way.
We don’t notice the grade when we’re younger,
But toward the last it gets steeper each day.
When we are young and full of “gung”
The miles slip behind with ease.
But as we grow older pebbles become boulders,
And each breath is more like a wheeze.
It’s at that point that we start looking back
We ponder the events of the past.
We didn’t bother before, we knew there’d be more
We were sure those good days would last.
They didn’t of course, but we should have known
That the curtain was going to fall.
That the faces we loved, the sights and sounds
Would fade as the unknown calls.
You grope for a few words to summarize,
To distill what it’s all been about.
You think of a few good things you have done
And of some about which you have doubt.
Overall it’s been a good life
Great family, good friends and some fun.
Disappointments, to be sure, and setbacks,
But no excuses now the race has been run.
So it’s on to the next adventure,
Be it better or worse or a blank.
The latter more likely I think, but I hope I’m wrong
There are some I neglected to thank
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