I ran across your amazing writing last night while I was remembering by best friend from Bend on the eve of his birthday.
I worked and became friends with Seth at OfficeMax in Bend in the summer/fall of 2000 and kept in contact with him until maybe a year before he passed.
Every year I make a point of spending a few moments on his birthday reflecting and remembering my friend.
Thank you for your compliment and for remembering Seth. He was a special guy who left us too soon.
Seth’s birthday is today, August 13. In my family, August 13 was a date of note as that was also my grandfathers birthday. My father felt particularly proud to have his only grandson born on his father’s birthday.
We had a naming tradition that had begun. My grandfather was Lynn, my father was William, my brother was Lynn. My father had hoped his grandson would be named William. As it came to be, my brother looked to his religion for a name and named his only begotten son Seth, and with a nod to family, Seth William.
At one point in time, my grandfather (“Gramps”) and Seth were the oldest and youngest Hornbrook males in our family, representing 4 generations.
Now, as the youngest of my siblings, I am the last male of this Hornbrook lineage. The name will die with me.
But today I remember my nephew, Seth William and my grandfather, Lynn Arthur. My father and brother are never far from my mind either.
Thanks for writing and keeping the memory of Seth alive.
Beautiful tribute, my friend. It speaks quite eloquently to the human experience in our current age. Post-information, the end of Pax Americana, despair and alienation gripping us all - and yet, we still care enough to hope.
I don't remember hearing these stories about your family - I had a feeling there was something genuinely tragic in your life. This is a pretty rough sequence of events and is a damn good case for atheism. It's also a pretty great case for Zen and Tao... all three combined are my personal approach to the metaphysical.
It's been a long strange trip, man. I was glad to find you on Substack after these years. Be well 🙏🏼
I ran across your amazing writing last night while I was remembering by best friend from Bend on the eve of his birthday.
I worked and became friends with Seth at OfficeMax in Bend in the summer/fall of 2000 and kept in contact with him until maybe a year before he passed.
Every year I make a point of spending a few moments on his birthday reflecting and remembering my friend.
Thank you for writing this.
Matt Thompson
Hi Matt
Thank you for your compliment and for remembering Seth. He was a special guy who left us too soon.
Seth’s birthday is today, August 13. In my family, August 13 was a date of note as that was also my grandfathers birthday. My father felt particularly proud to have his only grandson born on his father’s birthday.
We had a naming tradition that had begun. My grandfather was Lynn, my father was William, my brother was Lynn. My father had hoped his grandson would be named William. As it came to be, my brother looked to his religion for a name and named his only begotten son Seth, and with a nod to family, Seth William.
At one point in time, my grandfather (“Gramps”) and Seth were the oldest and youngest Hornbrook males in our family, representing 4 generations.
Now, as the youngest of my siblings, I am the last male of this Hornbrook lineage. The name will die with me.
But today I remember my nephew, Seth William and my grandfather, Lynn Arthur. My father and brother are never far from my mind either.
Thanks for writing and keeping the memory of Seth alive.
Beautifully written, Lee.
Thank you so much.
Beautiful tribute, my friend. It speaks quite eloquently to the human experience in our current age. Post-information, the end of Pax Americana, despair and alienation gripping us all - and yet, we still care enough to hope.
I don't remember hearing these stories about your family - I had a feeling there was something genuinely tragic in your life. This is a pretty rough sequence of events and is a damn good case for atheism. It's also a pretty great case for Zen and Tao... all three combined are my personal approach to the metaphysical.
It's been a long strange trip, man. I was glad to find you on Substack after these years. Be well 🙏🏼
Magnificent.
I am sorry about your family. I think writing about such things help us all become better people.