Remembering Joey

To the Editor:

It was my daughter’s second birthday. Of course, it was a happy day for myself and my family. While my daughter napped, I opened The Bee and began reading about the sudden and unfortunate passing of a stranger who became a friend all because he happened to be at a place that I frequented often.

I always made time to speak with Joey. Perhaps because he took a sincere and keen interest in a person who took the time to speak with him. Perhaps that is why we did chat together often at his place of work. Some call it kindred spirits; I say it was the human spirit of Joey that was vibrant, alive and pleased to reach out to his fellow man with acceptance. Joey always had interesting things to say and a wealth of experience behind him. He was always contemplating, and, always more than willing to figure something out for you.

Joey was a hardworking, polite, and considerate employee of the Big Y. His gift to the world was making a person smile and his thoughtful regard of others.

He often used my first name and always remembered me. When he did that, he diminished the huge corporate strongholds of a large grocery chain and made a person feel like family, like they mattered, to him.

Too often, in society, the human landscape is soiled by arrogance, greed, self-gratification, and apathy toward others. Joey, on the other, helped in sowing the seeds of kindness, friendliness, and charity upon the earth.

How does one measure success? As the poetic Emerson put it, “If one life has breathed easy, because you have lived, this is too have succeeded.”

The warmth, caring, and smile of a stranger enriches the soil of our landscape. In it’s subtle humility, the precious web of life is nourished.

My hat’s off to you, Joey, for nourishing that precious web which is life. I was very saddened by your sudden passing, but content in my heart that I did get the chance to share with you. I am content in knowing that I took the time to listen. I am glad that I always took notice of the great job you were doing. You made a difference in this world, and in mine, and in your memory, I wish to thank you for that.

Meg Soto

Deerfield Drive, Sandy Hook                                     January 10, 2007

(Editor’s note: Joey was Joseph Steven Hubina, who died December 30 at the age of 56.)