I knew him better than he knew me, at least I think I did. His writings provoked me to reflect on the world, on myself, considering whether we were in agreement. It went both ways. There were days I wanted to pick up the phone and ask a question and times I wanted to pick an argument.

A couple of times I wrote him somewhere, never sure he got the messages, but not sensing any urgency that would rush me to action so that we could have it out or figure it out. Either way, I learned from him.

Teacher-scholars are models that we think will always be around. So we delay interactions that might have been life changing. Then, in an instant, we face mortality, shocked that our unasked questions will not be answered.

Deeply, we mourn those who mean a lot to us, even if we never say it & they never know.

Click here to send a condolence message to the family of Ron Walters.

BlackCommentator.com Columnist Suzanne Brooks is the founder and CEO of International Association for Women of Color Day and CEO of Justice 4 All Includes Women of Color. Click here to contact Ms. Brooks.