you should read John's blog

Our son John- at his college graduation last December, with our daughter Julia

You should read John's Blog. Today he wrote about a funeral we shared... Julia ran the office, John ran the media, I buried Mary... a woman ready to meet her maker at the end of a full life. John speaks his heart, my heart as well, in today's posting. Check it out here. I'm not going to write about it... not much anyway... my mother's dying... doing the funeral for another mother, so close in age to my own, took it's toll.

John tells the best part. My father's great aunt Laura... guess that would be my great, great aunt Laura, died in the early 1900's and is buried near the graves of my grandparents in Princeton, Indiana. Her final words are engraved in the black granite tombstone she rest beneath: "Tell the church I love Her..."

Visiting Mary, the woman I buried today, while she was in intensive care, some of her final words were spoken as she reached her hand to grasp mine, eyes closed... tears trying to work their way up into the dehydrated lids... same words as my great, great aunt Laura... you could have pushed me over with a feather... it was like I was standing in the spring grass on that little plot outside of Princeton again: "Tell the church I love her."

Today she's at Home with The Lord. Hope she gets to hang out with Aunt Laura in Heaven.

I've been doing my best to guard my heart against the days to come... sitting with dad, now 93, I told him the sweet story of Mary's passing, her final words to me. Reaching out, dad looked me in the eye and said: "Eric, when you know I'm near the end, remind me to say something really good. To 'tell the church I love her.'" Processing the words I'd share today, I realized again that there are no worries for dad, for mom... they've told the church they love her everyday, in all they do. She's been our life... and I'm glad, no regrets, only humbled that God would use us.

Those are our children- my parent's grandchildren, the great, great, great niece and nephew of Aunt Laura and they love the church. Today they told Her with their lives... and made their old man proud... more importantly, made their Heavenly Father proud. Hopefully, however eternity works, aunt Laura and maybe even Mary, were able to share the joy.

In the midst of the sadness, it was a good day. Thanks for reminding me John.

Tell the church I love Her.

Eric

Favorite Moments

That's one of my favorite photos. It's our son John, at the helm of our former sailboat, "Visitation," with his mom at his side. I don't remember much about the day. It was autumn, warm and perfect for sailing and by the looks of the background we were a couple of miles off Sunset Beach. The image captures most of what I enjoy about sailing: being outdoors, on the water, together, loving life.

I'm not a great sailer. It'd take years for me to master the technique, skill, knowledge... much less desire... to race at the head of the class or to challenge the open seas. However, when the wind is fair, the sun warm on our backs, the swell gentle and I'm surrounded by those I love... sailing fits the bill for me. It's hard to imagine that we no longer own a boat and that our little slip on gangway 25 in Long Beach belongs to someone else... so many good times.

Talking with a good friend recently, I listened as he went over his training program and the races he has planned for the months ahead. I lamented that it would take me months of training before I could even enter, much less compete with him, laughing he said: "Better start tomorrow." I told him that "tomorrow's" always my favorite day to train... when I wake up, look at my running gear next to the bed, too often I think- tomorrow... not today.

Favorite moments are the result of participation in life. Whether it's paying the price to own and learn how to share a sail boat on a wondreful fall afternoon or waking up to train alone in order to share a race with friends, favorite moments rarely just happen, we create them. What are you creating with your life today? What memories and emotions will a snapshot of today bring back five years from now, twenty-five years?

John doesn't know it yet, but someday, when Debi and I are well beyond our sailing years, or when we've already set our sails that one final time, he'll treasure this snapshot for the memory of the day and the memory of his mom... it's going to move way up on his list of favorite moments. It'll make him a better dad with a deeper desire to spend the time and money to share with his family and create some favorite moments of their own. Our lives... sometimes our legacy, is often little more then a collection of favorite moments, time well spent, with those we love. Don't wait until tomorrow. Make the most of today.

blessings... and smooth sailing,

Eric

Our Last Minutes of Vacation

That's us - Debi and me - out to lunch... again... 4th of July with my mom, dad and daughter Julia- sharing our last day of a couple of very nice weeks off. Debi and I had some great days with each other down at the beach, some good times with family and with friends and we were able to keep not only our Friday afternoon's with Dad and Mom but we also slipped in a quick visit and took them to a late lunch on the 4th.

Mom was greatly disturbed at each of our visits- she's never liked facial hair -and I didn't shave once while we were off... then... I'm sure she thought I did it just to spite her... instead of shaving the beard completely, I left a neat little gray ghost of a ghottee. I could carry a stick in hand, direct music and follow a bouncing ball! Mom hates it... fun to be almost 53 and still loving and being loved by my mom, even if it is with a good lecture.

Hope you're taking some time off this summer to enjoy the season. If you do... don't shave... visit my mom and dad... and remember what it's like to have someone wag her finger at you. It's summer- a great time to re-read "Dandelion Wine" by Ray Bradbury, lay around and grow a goat!