one of life's lessons

Jake and I went to a funeral today for a very great amazing man. He was a friend to many and most important he was a father. I have gotten to know his daughter over the last few years and she is also an amazing person. Many great words were spoken during his service but the most memorable were those from his father and son. As a parent I can't imagine the pain of losing a child but his father stood up there and said some wonderful words about his son. Talking about the good times as well as the bad. But it was when his son was speaking about his dad that really got to me. Here was a young man who had just watched his dad battle cancer over the last 4 months. He talked about all the lessons in life his dad tried to teach him and how at the time they did not make any sense but now he understood what his dad wanted for him. It wasn't that he could never please his father or that he was never proud of him is what that his father wanted more for him. He didn't want him to settle for just good enough he wanted him to be better, to do more, to give more. It may have taken him awhile to learn this lesson but it was the life lesson his dad always tried to teach him. I also think about his daughter, the very young and yet so very strong 22 year old woman who was by her dad's side everyday over his last few months. She is the rock that holds their family together and a person I admire. It would have been very easy for these kids to just say-it's cancer, let's let the doctors take care of him now but they didn't. They took care of him, they moved back home and they stood by his side. As parents we are always trying to teach our kids right and wrong but who knows if they really listen. I learned today that it may take some time but sooner or later they will understand why we do what we do. And as I hope never to have to speak at my child's funeral I hope that my children will speak of me with as much love!

You will be missed Steve!