by Michael Holland
A little over 10 years ago, I had the honor of speaking at my friend Rick’s funeral. It was one of those experiences that is horribly painful, yet extremely fulfilling. It’s incredibly tough to pull the words together to express your thoughts, to provide comfort to those mourning, to bring out the character of the person, to convey the happiness of memories to cherish, and to speak to the void which will forever be felt.
At the time, I didn’t feel like I had said all I wanted to say. I didn’t think I had articulated the depth and breadth of my feelings. Now, with a decade of wisdom-building seasons in my life since his passing, I’ve become reconciled to the fact that the act of speaking at his funeral was not really about what was said. It was about the respect and honor to stand up and show the love.
Rick, I miss you man!
We all miss Rick. Our neighborhood was blessed by his life and glued together in his passing.
Michael,
You never stop amazing me with your thoughtful writing. You have one of the kindest hearts I know!
I remember asking you to speak at Rick’s service. I remember listening to your words as you eulogized him. Your words then and now, are eloquent. Funny, how certain memories just stay in your brain.
It is frequently said that “times heals”, but I don’t believe that at all. I think that when a person truly loves others they can’t possibly heal completely. We just learn to side step the holes in our hearts and see past the pain so we can continue to be there for our loved ones that need us in this world.
I pray that your words help to guide a generation of young husbands/fathers to understand how important they are in loving and supporting their families. Life is fleeting and we should all feel blessed even in our most difficult times.