Brian

My friend from college, Brian Eckstein, died suddenly on Monday. I lived at the Newman center at Ball State for 2 years, and played guitar and piano with him every Sunday. He was legally blind, but one of the most amazing musicians I've ever met. He was kind and loving and hilarious. I got to see him a few months ago when I went up for the music minister's last mass at that parish. I got to hear him lead the music and play piano, then a bunch of old friends got pizza together. I am SO glad I got to see him that last time. One of my best memories is of him playing one of my favorite songs, Let the Peace of God Reign. He would always play that for me and told me that song always reminded me of him. I'll write more after the funeral, but someone took a video of him leading the recessional hymn on Sunday, the day before he died. Here are the lyrics of the song he sang:

LIGHTS OF THE CITY

John tells us of city so high up above
Where we'll be in a Spirit of Love
We'll meet over yonder in that heavenly place
There, we'll see each other face to face

I can almost see the Lights of The City
Shinin' down on me
I can almost see the Lights of The City
Forever Lord, I shall be free

John tells us of a time when time will be no more
In the day when the trumpet shall blow
We'll meet over yonder in that heavenly place
There, we'll see each other face to face

(chorus)

John tells us of a water which will bring us to life
For when we drink, we will thirst no more
For when we're born in that water, a heavenly place
There we'll see each other face to face

And here is the video: Brian is the one in the blue shirt in the middle