• Feb 2009 DH Canvas

This morning is a cold wet day.  The landscape is covered in ice and the temperature is a low 25 degrees.  As I am driving down the road I am thinking about the irony of it all.  An ice storm hit the night before causing so many accidents, downing trees, etc.  However I can’t help but get caught up in the beauty of the iced over trees.  I am on my way to the funeral of the father of one of my best friend’s.  What a day for a funeral I am thinking to myself.  Not many people are on the road and I can’t help but notice how quiet is seems.  I always find it fascinating how everything seems to just stand still when the weather is bad.  I can’t help but think it is the same way with death.   It seems no matter how busy we are, how hectic our lives are or how many responsibilities we have there are those two things (death and bad weather) that just stop us in our tracks.

I am sitting in one of the most beautiful churches I have ever seen.  The sadness of the family is palpable as is the love for this man and my heart breaks as I hear the mumbled cries of all in attendance.  Ironically I was the first to arrive at the church and I took my seat to the left of the alter.  When the family and friends came in they were all seated to the right so I find myself sitting all alone.  I can’t help but think I am meant to be sitting here purposely, watching as an observer.  My focus drifts to a poem I once read called “The Dash” by Linda Ellis”.  The dash is the little symbol on the tomb stones between date of birth and date of death.  The poems message was, “it is what you do in-between birth and death that matters. The morning ended with a grave side service in the icy cold rain.  As members of the Navy folded the flag that laid over the coffin and handed it to my friend it wasn’t the car he drove, or how much money he did or didn’t have in the bank or even how many trips he took…..no, in that moment all that mattered is the amazing amount of love he had shared with so many!

If today was your last day how would you spend it?  Would you be so impatient on line at the store?  Would you be so stressed out over your new furniture delivery being delayed?  Would you tell the people around you that you love and appreciate them even if you think they already know?  Would you leave work early to spend some quality time with the people you love?

I want to dedicate this article to Michael and his family.  It was an honor to have known him and an even bigger honor to experience the incredible love he shared with his family.