Today I had the privilege of leading a group of family and friends as they celebrated the life of a loved one who passed away recently.
What I loved most about this man's story was what he grew into. His own father was a hard man who struggled with alcoholism and showed little affection for his family. As a father of five himself, his children described him as "stern" when they were growing up. But, oh, he learned to love!
One grandchild, now an adult, treasures the tape of bedtime stories his grandfather recorded for him years ago. What a gift to be able to, even now, hear his grandpa telling him how much he is loved and valued. The deceased developed many friendships over the years and treasured each one. More than that, he actually told them "Thank you so much for your friendship" each time they'd meet. Despite a challenging start in life, he grew into a joyful and generous and grateful giver. His legacy is one of tremendous love and hospitality.
"Where'd he learn to love like that?" I asked his wife. "I trained him," she said simply as her children all nodded.
Where did you learn to love and to give?
No comments:
Post a Comment