What I Learned At the Light House.

Over the weekend I attended my brother in laws memorial service.  He passed away on June 29th after a long battle with cancer.  Tom was a fire fighter for almost 25 years.  He asked that there be a party instead of a typical church service.  So the event was held at Ponce Inlet State Park, right on the beach. 

It was a beautiful day.  The sun was shining and the gentle breeze made a hot day tolerable.  There were about 60 people who came.  Most of them were fellow fire fighters who have worked with Tom over the years.  They brought food and beer and shared humorous stories about this quiet but very funny man.  He was only 49.

As I watched, listened and pondered I realized how fleeting life can be.  So much of what I hold important isn’t.  What I think matters doesn’t.  It’s not things but relationships that make this life successful.  It made me wonder how I affect people when I’m around.  Are they inspired?  Do they feel loved?  When they walk away are the hopeful?  Have I helped them?  Are they better for knowing me?  Seeing a life well lived that ended to quick makes you asked these questions, seek to make the changes needed, and hope the above questions receive good answers more often than not.  Thank you Tom for living a life that inspired me to dig deep.

            I decided to end this with a joke.  Tom would appreciate it:

A Catholic priest, a Protestant minister, and a rabbi are discussing what they would like people to say after they die and their bodies are being prepared for burial.
Priest: I would like someone to say, “He was a righteous man, an honest man, and very generous.”

Minister: I would like someone to say, “He was very kind and fair, and he was very good to his parishioners.”

Rabbi: I would want someone to say, “Look! He’s moving!”