halftime continued

I've been to two funerals this month! Not great timing for me, considering I just turned 50 and have my mortality staring me straight in the face. :P

The first memorial service was for Marty Rosenfeld, a dear friend from National Presbyterian Church. He was the sound engineer at NPC and since I played in the Crossroads band there, we crossed paths quite a bit. Marty's personality reminded me of a porcupine---he was kind and thoughtful, but you had to get past all the bristles to discover that. ;) He was amazing at what he did. He had what we musicians like to call "good ears".

What struck me the most about his service was what his son had to say. He said "My father loved me and was proud of me. I know this because he told me so. I also know it because others would tell me that he had told them the same." What a beautiful thing! This son's life had been built on the strong foundation of his father's love and approval. This is no small gift that Marty had given him.

The other funeral I attended was for a woman from my Body and Soul class who passed away suddenly. While Marty had been sick and battling cancer for some time, Meehee Hwang's death had come out of the blue. I was so surprised when I received her daughter's call to tell me the news. Meehee was a warm woman with a great sense of humor and a strong love for her family. She often beamed with pride as she spoke of her children. She was committed to her aging mother and mother-in-law and spent a great deal of time caring for them.

But I knew her mostly as an enthusiastic exerciser whose vigor made her look like a teenager. She was in her 50's but her moves could rival younger devotees. The truth is, she might have stood out in our class because a lot of our ladies are older! ;) But, honestly, she also stood out because of her kind countenance and spirit.

Her service was not a memorial service, but more of a time for contemplation and prayer. There was no mention of her life or accomplishments, but rather there was a focus on the Scriptures and hymns---clearly the bedrock of Meehee's life.

These services were a wake-up call of sorts for me. As you know, I had been thinking about what to do with the rest of my life, along the lines of: "Oh my gosh, I better get going! I've got half my life left. I better make lists. I better set goals and stay focused, if I'm ever going to accomplish anything."

And then it struck me, right between the eyes. Goal-setting is fine, but it's not the point. Life isn't about checking certain things off of the bucket list or making a name for yourself. It's about how you love along the way. It's not about the destination so much as the journey. Ah, yes, I remember now. Paul put it this way:

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.