The Shepard Of Black Sheep

I am torn about making a tribute, as I can almost hear Tom rolling his eyes at the prospect of underserved adulation.

I’m sorry Tom, but this is all going to be very authentic love, and appreciation of the Man you were, and maybe are, wherever your soul wanders in this Cosmos.

When I joined the Vocal Facebook groups, we were both new, and trying to break into the dialogue within the community. I have always struggled with fitting in, and saw that as a new member, the best course of action was to connect with others who were new, and maybe not getting seen amongst the fray. Tom was a great writer, and was easy to connect with, also, his stories were very well composed, and easily praised and enjoyed.

Tom began to gain some traction within the communities, getting noticed by the most talented among the communities, then a challenge win for the Wave Makers challenge. This story I feel truly embodies Toms spirit of place, and of the simple awareness of the abundance we are always surrounded with. With a challenge win, tireless interaction, feedback, and encouragement to all of us who often feel like giving up, and leaving Vocal forever; Tom forged an intrinsic place within our communities. A place we will mourn and miss beyond any measure, I feel we all thought we could understand. These Global friendships of modernity, and in a world troubled by lockdowns, these connections became deeply important to me, and to so many of us navigating these troubled times.

He was a thinker, a dreamer, and an innovator. Always striving to be better, always reaching out to all of us black sheep, the ones who don’t fit into the round hole of societal norms.

He lived a simple life in the countryside of France, caring for his beloved sheep, and endeavouring to connect those who may never have spoken otherwise. He welcomed visitors, travellers, and neighbours to take a room, and help around the property. He was striving to create a spirit of communtiy in the countryside, and here in all of our Vocal communities on Facebook. The simple pleasures of life were everything to him. I think this is one of the things I admired most about him. He was a futurist with his roots in the ancient ways of being. Where surviving in a world that tells you your a loser if you don’t have the newest car, or the best clothes. This story embodies the tenants by which I, as a Junk removal specialist, have come to understand and appreciate in my journey as a salvager of all things useful.

We don’t need to spend thousands of dollars to have a beautiful home, and a beautiful life. In a society that throws far to much away, Tom presented, time and again, the resourcefulness and appreciation required for Humanity to stand up and carry on, in a world that may soon forget that we all matter, not just those who have the most, or who speak the loudest.

In his last months, he has served as guidance and inspiration to the founders of Vocal Social Society, and has had a particular influence on our beloved Lesley Leatherdale. Tom knew that we as writers needed readers, and more we needed each other to really fly. It’s so easy to step on someone to get ahead, but Tom knew, as does Lesley, we are all better together.

To close, I just want to say, Tom you were not a Bad Shepard, you were the best, most loving, creative and un-conventional Shepard of Black sheep that ever was.