11/09/2005

A Funeral...My Fix

"Live. And Live Well. BREATHE.

Breathe in and Breathe deeply. Be PRESENT.

Do not be past. Do not be future. Be now.

On a crystal clear, breezy 70 degree day, roll down the windows and FEEL the wind against your skin. Feel the warmth of the sun.

If you run, then allow those first few breaths on a cool Autumn day to FREEZE your lungs and do not just be alarmed, be ALIVE.

Get knee-deep in a novel and LOSE track of time.

If you bike, pedal HARD… and if you crash then crash well.

Feel the SATISFACTION of a job well done—a paper well-written, a project thoroughly completed, a play well-performed.

If you must wipe the snot from your 3-year old’s nose, don’t be disgusted if the Kleenex didn’t catch it all… because soon he’ll be wiping his own.

If you’ve recently experienced loss, then GRIEVE. And Grieve well.

At the table with friends and family, LAUGH.

If you’re eating and laughing at the same time, then might as well laugh until you puke.

And if you eat, then SMELL. The aromas are not impediments to your day. Steak on the grill, coffee beans freshly ground, cookies in the oven. And TASTE. Taste every ounce of flavor. Taste every ounce of friendship. Taste every ounce of Life.

Because-it-is-most-definitely-a-Gift..."

The last paragraph Kyle Lake, d. Oct. 30, 2005, every typed on his computer. He never got to deliver it, electrocuted in the baptismal pool that morning. It was read at the end of his funeral. A much celebrated person. One I got to know and was inspired by listening to his funeral. Parts of it today too personal and too touching and too deep to continue to hear. To listen to friend describe his quirks, humor, sense of silliness and fun and affection...the way he pushed them to intimacy and smiles and grace and life. An inspiration.

In regard to my earlier emotion today...God just met me... at a funeral I never attended.

That's my God.

Los published this today at Ragamuffin Soul (see sidebar). I usually just link to him, but decided I wanted the record for myself on my own blog for my own reference. Thanks. Sorry for the redundancy.

If you would like to listen to the audio from Kyle's funeral service you can download it from these links: Podcast / MP3 (just listen with Windows Media player, even if you don't own a Podcast or have an MP3 player...I had to use the MP3 link and Windows Media.)

~Me

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