Tent People....
I went to another funeral today. This time for Joe Martin, an old friend from high school. JoJo, as he was called by most who know him back in those days, was the little brother of a friend in my class. Although as I was ahead a grade for my age, Joe was only 2 months younger than me. 54 is entirely to young an age to leave the mortal world without a fight.
And Joe had had a fight on his hands the last several years after suffering a stroke during an operation. An over achiever, Joe did not let his frailty conquer his spirit. Though he really didn't look the part he had been a star running back at Midland High School and at Washington and Lee University in Virginia. He had been senior class president in high school and voted "most friendly". And he was. He obtained an M.B.A. from SMU and became a CPA. In his last days he had obtained another passion, for art, and in spite of his limitations was attending painting classes at our local junior college. And he was good...and prolific. His sister told us that his garage was lined with his work, all done in only the past several years.
The memorial service for Joe was as I prefer. Not too long but meaningful with stories and laughter offered by friends and family. The service was conducted, coincidentally, by Julie's friend Jan Reid who had married us only months before. And instead of the usual well meaning homily that I barely hear Jan's words were wisdom to my ears. Jan's remarks were that we are merely tent people here on this earth, transient visitors just passing through in temporary quarters until we are called to our permanent home. Perhaps this struck me so because I have actually lived in tents on occasions in my life and I can identify with the luxurious feeling of relocating to more stable quarters....or perhaps as I get older and more of my friends, family and acquaintances leave this earth it seemed to me to be a comforting thought.
Comforting also was the renewal in seeing old friends at the reception held afterwards at the home of Joe's sister Suzanne. Old friends of my family and friends from my high school days that I had not seen in decades. Laughter was endemic and it seemed even in his passing Joe had bequethed us all with the title "most friendly". Thanks JoJo for touching us all.
I went to another funeral today. This time for Joe Martin, an old friend from high school. JoJo, as he was called by most who know him back in those days, was the little brother of a friend in my class. Although as I was ahead a grade for my age, Joe was only 2 months younger than me. 54 is entirely to young an age to leave the mortal world without a fight.
And Joe had had a fight on his hands the last several years after suffering a stroke during an operation. An over achiever, Joe did not let his frailty conquer his spirit. Though he really didn't look the part he had been a star running back at Midland High School and at Washington and Lee University in Virginia. He had been senior class president in high school and voted "most friendly". And he was. He obtained an M.B.A. from SMU and became a CPA. In his last days he had obtained another passion, for art, and in spite of his limitations was attending painting classes at our local junior college. And he was good...and prolific. His sister told us that his garage was lined with his work, all done in only the past several years.
The memorial service for Joe was as I prefer. Not too long but meaningful with stories and laughter offered by friends and family. The service was conducted, coincidentally, by Julie's friend Jan Reid who had married us only months before. And instead of the usual well meaning homily that I barely hear Jan's words were wisdom to my ears. Jan's remarks were that we are merely tent people here on this earth, transient visitors just passing through in temporary quarters until we are called to our permanent home. Perhaps this struck me so because I have actually lived in tents on occasions in my life and I can identify with the luxurious feeling of relocating to more stable quarters....or perhaps as I get older and more of my friends, family and acquaintances leave this earth it seemed to me to be a comforting thought.
Comforting also was the renewal in seeing old friends at the reception held afterwards at the home of Joe's sister Suzanne. Old friends of my family and friends from my high school days that I had not seen in decades. Laughter was endemic and it seemed even in his passing Joe had bequethed us all with the title "most friendly". Thanks JoJo for touching us all.
