|
| FOOD FOR THE SOUL |
| Thursday, February 16, 2006 |
| A friend of mine posted this comment in reply to the "Snipet Weigh-In" below. I thought that it needed its own post.
"I just came back from my friend's funeral. He was a friend of mine I had worked at the supermarket with that I had known for almost 4 years and he hadnt even turned 61 yet. He was in horrible shape and had been for the past year and a half or so. Last week he went brain dead, was in a coma a week ago today and died Friday. Ive felt fine the past few days, kicked my cold and was reaady to say goodbye. The second I sat down in the funeral parlor before the service and saw him lying in his casket, I was taken back to the last time I saw Butch alive. I looked around the place, it was a small gathering of mostly his family- wife, children, granchildren, etc. I approached his casket after the msgr finished the ceremony for one last tribute to the man. When I walked to the back of the room to look at some photos of him and his family I was too overcome. I found myself in tears not for myself, but for his family who he was so close to- he was a man I pretty much only knew at work- and when I saw his life outside of work through the family photos, I could only think of what his family has dealt with, esp his daughter who got up to read a poem and she had to sit back down immediately. The priest read the poem for her, and listening to it made it so much more difficult to say goodbye to Butch. After the ceremony I sat in my car for about 20 mins in the parking lot bc I felt like I would be a safety hazard driving on the roads. I sat there in silence just thinking about the past 4 years Ive known the man and how much I enjoyed working with him and all the comedy that was part of our workdays at the market. I want Butch to still be standing right now, next to his family. I wish no one had to be going through this. But the scriptures the priest read puts things in perspective, as always- Ive always loved the Bible for that. While I am kind of an emotional trainwreck still, I will get over it, we all will, and I am just so glad I knew the man and that I was part of his life and that he was a part of mine for the past few years. The story youve shared with us Jack is the first thing I read when I got back from the funeral and I am so thankful that you posted this. While we may be in one of our weaker moments right now in mourning the loss of our friend, I choose to be a coffee bean. I choose to be a coffee bean, not just for myself, but for all my friends who mourn Butch's passing, for all of his family who are far more affected than I ever will be by Butch's passing. I dont know still how to react to the death of a friend. Thats where the funeral comes in. I get a perspective from it- I think about any random moment I walked by the man, spoke with him, worked with him, what have you. I choose not to be a pessimist during these times because I still have my life to live, we all do, and if Butch saw my crying he would slap me for being such a pussy. But it sucks that he is gone. But again, I am so glad I knew the man as opposed to not knowing him at all. That is the beauty of life, and the beauty of being able to see a friend one last time. Yeah, I hate sitting here crying about Butch being gone, but would I ever erase any memory of him, or would I rather not known him at all, so I wouldnt have to be sad? No, that is selfish and if that were the case I might as well not ever befriend anyone and just walk alone every day. I choose to be a coffee bean. Ive said before that sometimes I randomly pick up my old tattered Bible from high school and just flip to random pages- this is one of those days. I am not a religious man, but I recognize that the tradition of worshipping the life and death of Jesus is what ultimately brings everyone together, at the beginning of someone's life, and at the end. People dont and might never recognize that, but from what the priest read from the Bible today, there are so many valuable lessons in that Book that its impossible to not recognize. This is the good of Christianity, the value and sanctity of life. As I like to say, putting the "fun" in funeral. When I say I am no religious man, it doesnt mean that I am not a spiritual man. I believe in the presence of that which may not be physically present. When Rene Descartes said, I think therefore I am, Ive always interpreted that as that which I think ABOUT also exists. So I know Butch is not gone, I know there is a tomorrow, I know we are all better people for having known the man. I know that it makes me recognize how great it is to have a huge family and a great community of friends like I have. It reinforces my belief that it is so much greater to be a coffee bean." Chickenhawk |
posted by Jack Mercer @ 2/16/2006 01:42:00 PM   |
|
| 3 Comments: |
-
That was a blessing. Thanks for moving it up to prominence.
-
Thanks Jack! It means a lot to me that you posted this.
-
No thanks at all, CH! It was deep and profound. It needed posting...wish more people could see it.
-Jack
|
| |
| << Home |
| |
|
|
|
| About Me |
|
Name: Jack Mercer
Home:
About Me:
See my complete profile
"Snipet" (pronounced: snipe - it) is not a word.It is a derivative of two words: "Snipe" and "Snippet".
Miriam Webster defines Snipe as: to aim a carping or snide attack, or: to shoot at exposed individuals (as of an enemy's forces) from a usually concealed point of vantage.
Miriam Webster defines Snippet as: : a small part, piece, or thing; especially : a brief quotable passage.
In short, "Snipets" are brief, snide shots at exposed situations from a concealed vantage point.
WARNING! With due reverence to the Bill of Rights and the First Amendment there is NO comment policy on the News Snipet.
|
| Other things |
| Archives |
|
| Politics |
|
| Template by |
|
|
That was a blessing. Thanks for moving it up to prominence.