Hey guys, six years ago, this month my dad died, it was the loss of my life for sure.

In honor of everything I learned from him and in memoriam for the people who have been

lost to all of us so many now, I'm starting a new thread on Kelly Corrigan Wonders called

thanks for being here.

This will be a very short pod that comes out every Sunday morning as Sundays are for a

lot of people, a time of reflection, a time to let go of the day-to-day and touch base

with what matters, what will matter and what will have mattered.

The answer to that question for me is often found in ceremonies I could literally watch

strangers get married once a week and I'm even more affected by funerals.

Sitting in a service, taking in the story of one life, just another ordinary person,

who they loved, who loved them and why, I feel a clarity and direction that I often can't

find in the daily push and pull.

And eulogies in particular are about the most succinct source of direction I can think of.

So I asked readers and listeners who have lost someone to share their eulogies and every

week I'll read one here so that we don't forget there is a point to the pain that we have

much to offer, that we affect each other and that ordinary lives are really kind of

exquisite when you look at them closely.

This is thanks for being here.

This is a eulogy that was written by a guy named Andy Ward.

He is an editor at Random House and probably one of the most beloved people in publishing.

He publishes me, but also people like George Saunders and Jed Apatown, Lena Dunham and

a lot of other really special people.

...