what i learned from josh

what i learned from josh:

that life is too short- and less meaningful-  if you don't stay connected

that if you are going to stay connected and well liked, you have to have something consistently good to bring to the table or no one will want to hang out with you year after year

josh brought lots to the table- literally for me- because it’s where i met him the most - either in my restaurant- that i’m proud to say he loved and “got” or at beate & michael’s (who also know that good food and conversation are a great pairing), or in chinatown, or at a great new place (that he always new about first), or at his beautiful home in brewster that was beautiful because he was

he consistently brought smarts, warmth, inquisitiveness... to every get together. i always left him with the same thought- i need to be more social, i need to engage more of the world around me, that the reason josh did it so consistently well is that he’s “the real thing” - a title i’ve bestowed on others only several times in my life, and the reason i don’t engage enough- i’m scared

he reminded, and will remind me daily, that as the boy scouts taught me many years ago- “you leave a place better than you found it”

josh left his mark every place he went and with everyone he touched- all those places and all those people are better off for knowing him

it’s a lesson i’m still learning

thanks josh- i’ll do my best

stuart tarabour