Our community has been hit hard in the past several months by the deaths of people who have been a part of the fabric of Peabody.

These are people who have given repeatedly to keep the community viable and who have contributed to the best parts of our successes.

Of course, we all understand that each of us is in this game for a finite amount of time. We accept that. However, sometimes it just seems to be more than our hearts can bear when several are lost to us at once.

I have no answer for the pain and grief that we feel. No answer. However, as is often the case, we can look back on our relationship with them and truly appreciate their friendship and our good fortune for having had that part of them.

Lately, I have complained in this column about my advancing age. Yes, I can be a complainer, for sure. Waking up one morning at the increased age of 70 years was a shocker. Remember this, youngsters — you will likely hit some similar number in your lifetime and you will think, “Who? Me?” Yes, you.

One of the satisfying parts of reaching a milestone like old age, however, is looking back on some of the people who have influenced our lives. Many times, we do not even realize their impact until years later. Often it takes a death or separation of some kind to bring that realization home.

I guess this reminiscing about those who have gone before us is also part of the aging process. As a child, death seldom touched me — even into my high school years. It is logical that as we grow older we find it creeping into our lives more and more. To those of you who have lost loved ones, we offer our gratitude to you for sharing them with us.

Our community, which has lost good and caring folks who will be missed for some time to come, appreciates all they have done and we will miss them. We are grateful to have had them in our lives.

—susan marshall