Too Beautiful for This World
I'm listening to 'Starry, Starry Night'. It's one of my very favorite songs. When I heard that song playing at my son's preschool four years ago, I knew there would be a connection. I asked who brought the music to the school. Nancy, one of the teachers, told me that it was her husband, Edward. Edward loved music. He listened. He played a little. He introduced the children to what he loved.
He collected stereo equipment, fixed it and sold it. It was a hobby for him, and it was one of many. I'm continuing to learn more about Edward. He's no longer with us, as he passed away a couple of years ago. My family attended his 'celebration of life' party. It was such a beautiful day. So many people came. They were family, students and friends. His wife, Nancy, was by his side for about 50 years. They lived together, raised a family together, grieved for their son together and ran a school. They continued to teach, regardless of all the heartache they felt. They have two daughters, who are very much alive. Sadly, their son is not.
I finally saw a picture of their son when I went to visit Nancy last week. He was a handsome young man. He looked like his father and his mother. He played football. He was intelligent. He was motivated. He started going to UC as an engineering major. Then he got sick. He got sick very suddenly. They thought he had the flu or a bad cold. Nancy called their doctor. The doctor said to give him fluids and plenty of rest. That young man went to bed and never woke up in the morning. When Edward went to wake him because Mitch had a phone call, he found his son, his beautiful boy, dead. He was nineteen.
This is the worst nightmare for any loving parent. Edward and Nancy are two of the most loving, understanding, generous and interesting people I've ever met. I know a lot of people like that, but no one truly like THEM. They took all of that pain and turned it into something beautiful. They went on. They continued their work. They took care of the daughters that still needed them. Nancy is still doing that. Edward finished his work when he passed away, but he didn't feel that he had. He always thought he would do bigger and more important things. I hope he understood, at the end, that he did the most important thing. He loved and he taught. He 'Acted Well and Taught Well'.
Edward loved Soren. Soren loved Edward. Soren still talks about Edward. We still see Nancy, but Edward hasn't been forgotten at our house. Soren often shows me something or explains something to me. When I ask him how he learned that, he will say, 'Edward taught me that' or 'Nancy showed me how.'
I know that Nancy still has so much to give. She gives to her daughters, her grandchildren and her friends. She's only seventy-seven. I am so amazed. I wish I could crawl into her heart and figure out how she can find so much peace. I know that she has her faith. I know that she has a find mind, too. She uses those tools to heal herself and help others heal themselves.
She's done it for me, and for so many others. Nancy, this is for you. We love you more than you know.
He collected stereo equipment, fixed it and sold it. It was a hobby for him, and it was one of many. I'm continuing to learn more about Edward. He's no longer with us, as he passed away a couple of years ago. My family attended his 'celebration of life' party. It was such a beautiful day. So many people came. They were family, students and friends. His wife, Nancy, was by his side for about 50 years. They lived together, raised a family together, grieved for their son together and ran a school. They continued to teach, regardless of all the heartache they felt. They have two daughters, who are very much alive. Sadly, their son is not.
I finally saw a picture of their son when I went to visit Nancy last week. He was a handsome young man. He looked like his father and his mother. He played football. He was intelligent. He was motivated. He started going to UC as an engineering major. Then he got sick. He got sick very suddenly. They thought he had the flu or a bad cold. Nancy called their doctor. The doctor said to give him fluids and plenty of rest. That young man went to bed and never woke up in the morning. When Edward went to wake him because Mitch had a phone call, he found his son, his beautiful boy, dead. He was nineteen.
This is the worst nightmare for any loving parent. Edward and Nancy are two of the most loving, understanding, generous and interesting people I've ever met. I know a lot of people like that, but no one truly like THEM. They took all of that pain and turned it into something beautiful. They went on. They continued their work. They took care of the daughters that still needed them. Nancy is still doing that. Edward finished his work when he passed away, but he didn't feel that he had. He always thought he would do bigger and more important things. I hope he understood, at the end, that he did the most important thing. He loved and he taught. He 'Acted Well and Taught Well'.
Edward loved Soren. Soren loved Edward. Soren still talks about Edward. We still see Nancy, but Edward hasn't been forgotten at our house. Soren often shows me something or explains something to me. When I ask him how he learned that, he will say, 'Edward taught me that' or 'Nancy showed me how.'
I know that Nancy still has so much to give. She gives to her daughters, her grandchildren and her friends. She's only seventy-seven. I am so amazed. I wish I could crawl into her heart and figure out how she can find so much peace. I know that she has her faith. I know that she has a find mind, too. She uses those tools to heal herself and help others heal themselves.
She's done it for me, and for so many others. Nancy, this is for you. We love you more than you know.
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