A Memorial Service and Some Thoughts

I went to a memorial service last Saturday. No, it wasn’t another of our kiddo friends with cancer; in fact it wasn’t even for someone I knew. It was for the wife of a friend and colleague of mine.

It was a beautiful service. It wasn’t like so many that I have been to that make a saint out of an ordinary person, ignoring all of their fault and fantasizing about who they really were. This was an open, honest sharing time. It was different and it was refreshing. Through the service I came to know this lovely lady in a very small way. I learned that she was a very remarkable woman. And what I learned most of all was that I missed out by not knowing her.

Her husband, a long time and well respected community member spoke a lot about their family and reminded everyone in the overflowing church that you never know when will be your last moment. He admonished everyone to not loose even one single opportunity to say “I Love You,” to get that kiss goodbye, or to let a cherishable moment slip by with the thought/hope/expectation that you are too busy now and will make up for it later.

Many of you may be wondering why I am putting this here on Rebekah’s blog? Well, in many ways it is because the shared sentiment above is exactly what we have learned and have been trying to request of you all through Rebekah’s trials and treatments. The other reason is that I want to share with you how Rebekah’s experience has changed me. Death, loss, funerals, memorial services etc. never used to bother me; I was emotionally cold and stoic to them only to deal with the sorrow and emotions in other ways at other times. But not now. I bawled like a little baby experiencing pain for the first time during this service. My eyes cried, my heart cried and my whole body cried. I came out of this service emotionally drained and renewed – in a good way. And all of this for the wife of a good friend; but still someone I didn’t even know. Yes, life’s experiences DO change us.

Please, love your family (especially your little ones) like there is no tomorrow because all too often there won’t be. And, let yourself be changed.