Banks Hudson 1940-2024

On September 9, 2023 I wrote a piece about my mentor here. In that article I wrote, “There are times when I am afraid about him leaving this earth. I’m old enough to have the evidence that none of us will get out of here alive. But that fear quickly fades. Because I know, as some of you know who have had a similar relationship, that even though our bodies will one day cease, some things do last forever.”

Banks Hudson left this world on May 31, 2024.

In the quiet of the morning, when the world is still and soft, I feel the weight of your absence,

a void where your presence once was.

Your words, a guiding compass, your wisdom, a gentle hand, now echoes in the silence,

reverberating through my days.

You were a harbor in life's storm, a calm amidst the chaos, your laughter, a soothing balm,

your counsel, a steadfast light.

In the spaces we shared, memories linger like shadows,

each one a testament to the impact of your spirit.

I carry your lessons within me, woven into the fabric of my being, your voice,

a constant whisper in the corridors of my mind.

Though you have departed, your essence remains, a part of the landscape of my heart,

an enduring presence in my life.

In moments of doubt, I find strength in your memory, and in times of joy,

I feel your unseen smile.

Loss is a profound silence, a stillness in the soul,

yet within that quiet, I find you,

always near.