Memorial - Friendship

My heart is heavy today but I am trying to be positive by celebrating a friend's life. I usually celebrate someone's birthday who's passed rather than the we lost them. But I can't help it; maybe next year I can start. My friend and coworker Sal died 2 years ago today due to Covid. He was the best! Always caring for and encouraging others. We would banter like a brother and sister. Him and his blue tape... putting it on us as we went through the food line just because he thought it was funny. I called him on it and took the blue tape. He joked and said I was no fun. He was from Alaska. I don't know from which Native American nation, but his sister mentioned that in his culture they put paddles upward for honoring someone. On Amazon I got this small paddle and wrote his name on it. It hung in my room/ and later at work at my desk. When I retired, I gave it to the Student Union/ Center to hang in his memory. It is hanging there today. Sal, you're never forgotten.