A Living Tribute

My wife was reading me a very touching obit in our local paper the other day. The woman who passed away was not only very accomplished but sounded like a very kind, caring, loving, humorous person. There were accolades and superlative galore.

I started to wonder if she was aware while alive of all the wonderful attributes she was appreciated for. I think the obit is a wonderful way to communicate about the life of someone that some readers may know, some may have heard of, and some have never met. I particularly like to read the ones in the NYTimes which are often very inspiring.

But why do we wait until someone is gone before we sing their praises. Or at least let them know how we feel about their lives up until now, and how it might have even inspired us already. It seems that it might be better to say “She IS always willing to go the extra mile” today rather than “She WAS always willing to go the extra mile” after she is gone.

If you would like to use this blog as a vehicle to express your love and appreciation for someone special in your life who is still with us, please feel free to do that. And don’t keep it a secret from the one you are writing about. Let them know there is something they might want to read and how to find it.

I’ll start it off with the lyrics of a song I recently wrote for my wife. She brings art and joy into the lives of the many recipients of the letters she has written to folks over the years by skillfully applying the many tiny pictures (stamps) where normally one would do.

She arranges her stamps, on a clean white canvas
As only her mind could compose
Whatever their value, they perform the tiny dances
As only her mind could suppose