Last night Wister died. He couldn’t fight that good fight anymore. He had to let go of this mortal life. And while no one really knew he was heading to heaven in that particular evening’s light, they all gathered. His pastor.
His loving wife. His niece and nephew. And that fabulous circle of 5 friends who love each other and who love laughter over meals. They all showed up. And then, Wister, said good-bye.
This morning on my way to work, I saw a parked truck by the side of the road. And then I saw a man standing beside a deer on the ground. It was apparent that this driver had hit the deer. But what took my breath
away was that the deer was still alive. He was down on the ground, but his head was erect… held up as if he were saying, “I will die with dignity.” The deer held his head that way with his eyes closed, and all the while,
the man stood beside him in a meditative stance of homage. Together they waited.
Tonight when I came home from a fresh, brisk walk, my neighbor from across the street came over. She said she had something sad to share. She said today the police came to the house beside mine and found this neighbor dead. Her friends at work reported that she had not come in for a couple of days and that they could not reach her. And so the police came and found a way into her house.They said she died on Sunday most likely due to a diabetic coma. She died Sunday… as I went to church… as I cut the grass… as I played with my little dog in the yard. She died alone… and no one realized this until today.
I am also aware of the news of yet another school shooting in our nation. A teacher died. Children were injured. And the shooter, a child of 12 years of age, took his own life as well.
We don’t know the whys or the whens.
We don’t know what will happen on any given day as life is complex, unexpected, and utterly unfair.
But tonight as the autumn leaves rustle and darkness settles in, I hold before me
Wister,
my neighbor,
a teacher and a student,
and a deer.
I inscribe you to my memory and hold you to my heart…
His loving wife. His niece and nephew. And that fabulous circle of 5 friends who love each other and who love laughter over meals. They all showed up. And then, Wister, said good-bye.
This morning on my way to work, I saw a parked truck by the side of the road. And then I saw a man standing beside a deer on the ground. It was apparent that this driver had hit the deer. But what took my breath
away was that the deer was still alive. He was down on the ground, but his head was erect… held up as if he were saying, “I will die with dignity.” The deer held his head that way with his eyes closed, and all the while,
the man stood beside him in a meditative stance of homage. Together they waited.
Tonight when I came home from a fresh, brisk walk, my neighbor from across the street came over. She said she had something sad to share. She said today the police came to the house beside mine and found this neighbor dead. Her friends at work reported that she had not come in for a couple of days and that they could not reach her. And so the police came and found a way into her house.They said she died on Sunday most likely due to a diabetic coma. She died Sunday… as I went to church… as I cut the grass… as I played with my little dog in the yard. She died alone… and no one realized this until today.
I am also aware of the news of yet another school shooting in our nation. A teacher died. Children were injured. And the shooter, a child of 12 years of age, took his own life as well.
We don’t know the whys or the whens.
We don’t know what will happen on any given day as life is complex, unexpected, and utterly unfair.
But tonight as the autumn leaves rustle and darkness settles in, I hold before me
Wister,
my neighbor,
a teacher and a student,
and a deer.
I inscribe you to my memory and hold you to my heart…
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