Growing Up Is Weird and Sad…

In Memory of Joshua Phillips

Today I found out that my old stepbrother passed away… and it wasn’t even recent—it happened over six months ago.

What is life? And why did it take so long for me to find out? Growing up is weird.

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As a kid, I spent every summer with my mom. Most of those summers were in upstate New York, where she lived comfortably with her partner Tammy and her son, Josh.

Josh was so cool—like, genuinely cool. Effortlessly real. He’s what I picture when I think of Woodstock—not the music festival, but the small, strange, beautiful town. And truthfully, he's still cooler than anything that’s ever happened there.

I know a lot of people knew Josh better and longer. I know many have been grieving him for months now. But I finally caught up—today, it was my turn… and it hurt.

~ Rest in Peace old friend ~