Here's to you, friend

Today I received a text from BTG that reads:

"To all my friends, to all my love ones. It has been an amazing journey these last two years and I am sad that it is time to move on. You will always be in my heart and I am just a letter away! My phone is now off so I will not see any replies. But I am still on and i appreciate your kind thoughts".
1:23PM Tue, Mar 1, 2011
From: S A Brett

Dear friend: Although you may not be able to read this lines of reply, I want to say this, I feel honored to be considered your friend. I don't deserve such a mention. During my attendance to our 12 Step Program, I never felt worthy of your attention and that of others. I am sorry I was not there physically to say farewell. I will not forget the times that you read to me excerpts from the Big Book that pertained to whatever was bugging me at the time. I remember clearly that one of your favorite passages was some lines from The Doctor's Opinion. I especially remember when you told me "Miguel, let us love you until you learn to love yourself" I am still learning, on my own and by myself, which makes it harder.
I admired you for your courage and your calmness when you talked about your upcoming (not final) journey. If there was a special gathering in your honor before today, I know that if I had been in attendance, I would had probably made an scene, I get very emotional and I feel embarrassed that I cry for just about anything. When your initial departure was postponed back in August or September it was a blessing in more than one way; we got to have you around longer and to know you better and that is the hard part, because is hard to say goodbye to someone you care about. God knows that I never doubted your testimony when it came to light that I had threatened Michael and Jason's physically. I know is wrong to say this but I envy your character and optimism, your confidence and courage, even when facing being about to be locked up for 17 and 1/2 years. You know that you are facing the consequences of your actions just as I and others like me are facing our own. Bret Tomás Gonzales, thank you for being there for me from the beginning, thank you for calling me friend. I am sure that God will guide your steps where you are going and that you will meet nice people there and you will convert them in men of goodwill. God bless you and your parents. God willing we will meet again and regardless of the circumstances, if is in God's hands is all good.