Maine's Own Off-Topic Thread -- Pt.2 (Caribou: find a job, to live, warm)

[moughie]

[quote=Maine Writer;2789952]You would have been ok if you'd followed it with "bless your heart!"

LOL- how right you are

On a more serious note, thanks for posting the link about the tragic accident. My sincere condolences on the loss of your friend. You honor him but keeping his memory strong.

[Abbymoulton]

Originally Posted by msina

I'm sorry for your loss MW. I read about the accident. I don't know what to say but, you're in my prayers and heart.

You are in mine as well, Robin.

[Elcarim]

We're thinking about you today, MW! I know you'll present a beautiful picture of your friend's life.

[Maine Writer]

Thank you again. I got through it with a very shaky voice because I started to cry on the way to the podium. I made people laugh and a few people cry (including my husband) and a lot of people stop me to ask, "Who are you?" Everyone else asked to speak are family members and that left people wondering how I was related. I'm not related, just someone who wrote something about a man who sincerely cared about everyone, that was some how found read by his family. There were at least 350 people there today and a lot who went to visiting hours yesterday. He really was a great man. Being able to do this was an honor. And life goes on.

[elston]

I am so proud of you Maine Writer. I am sure you did your friend a fine tribute.

[Elcarim]

The measure of a truly great speaker is in their ability to draw tears and laughter. Bravo! I'm sure it was lovely!!

By the way...........this is also the measure of a truly great friend!

[maine4.us]

I guess I prefer an Irish wake, where we celebrate the life of a person who has crossed the veil. We think about them. laugh at their good times and remember sharing the bad times with them. People grieve with each other, and they help each other to begin to heal that part of their lives that is now missing. Their friend is no longer flesh, but ever present in spirit. Sharing our humanity is what it is all about. When we celebrate the life of our missing friend, our differences fade and our similarities become our greatness. It is those similarities that bind us all together. We think we are so different, but in death, we are all the same. I am happy for you that you were able to share what he meant to you, and you most likely you found that he shared that same part of himself with everyone he knew. Although I did not know him, you shared with me, a stranger, what he meant to you. That is what is so wonderful about mankind. Thank you for sharing! We are all in this together, but sometimes we forget!

[Maine Writer]

The priest said something like that. We're sad that he's no longer living but we need to celebrate that he was here with us for so long. At the end of the service there was a time for anyone to come forward and share stories. One man told one that had us all laughing. The thought behind this was to end on a happy note before we moved to the reception.

A short version of my story is that he and I raced each spring to see who got the peas planted first, whose broke ground first, how tall they were each week, whose blossomed and put on pods first, and ultimately, who had peas ready to pick first. We both intentionally chose varieties with the fewest days to maturity as possible. I fell into this when he told Steve he was planting peas the coming weekend and Steve said I'd already planted mine. He made a smart aleck comment a couple of people will choose to be offended by so I won't bother repeating it, and the race was on. He didn't know I'd planted mine in a hoop house in March that first year. Steve only said that I'd already planted mine, not when or where. Sometimes I won, sometimes he won, we always had fun. He had this race with a gentleman who passed away a few years ago too. When he was a week behind he went to the grocery, bought peas and took them to this man and declared himself the winner. I don't think the man ever knew though our friend took great joy in telling everyone what he'd done with a funny smile. At the end of the service Steve tucked a pack of seed peas in our friend's hand.

[elston]

My Dad was always striving to have the earliest peas! Pleasant memories.

[starwalker]

Originally Posted by Maine Writer

At the end of the service Steve tucked a pack of seed peas in our friend's hand.

That was a great story and a wonderful send-off...

I hope to be able to attend the service for my friend's husband, who passed the same day, later this month or in Mar. whenever they hold it.. she has said it will be more like a wake than anything else. And he was not only a client as well but a character.. though none of my stories are anything I could -- or would -- share under this circumstance.

He will come back each year with The Planting Of The Peas.