This week as already proven to be challenging, one of my good friends lost his mom, Val lost Nick, the East Coast even lost its balance for a few minutes during an earthquake. See…challenging. While most morphed into their roles as undercover prophets and preachers, bellowing for those to get right with God, others chose to joke (s/o to my Twitter timeline) or curse the church a bit and question why the so-called “prophets” didn’t predict the earth doing a quick shimmy. Really people? I could get all deep and say that also God used an earthquake to set Paul and Silas free from their bondage, go preach on that. But I digress. 
True to form, when the quake happened people panicked and wanted to be near those they love most. What if this was the end? Will this be how I die? Is this pasta salad my last meal? Seriously, am I going to die single? C’mon! All kinds of things come to mind in those moments of panic. But the shaking stopped, and we’re still here. Shaken but here. But my friend’s mom is still gone and so is Nick. Life and death still stay on course and we have to move forward. For those of us who remain, the need to live better, take risks, love harder become so real. You remember that life is short and you want to race to pack in your bucket list and more into the quickly moving seconds of the day. I get it, trust. I too was ready to run a marathon, sail around the world, cure cancer, bring world peace within those few minutes of the earth break dancing. I didn’t want to leave it all like this, seemingly unfinished.
No one wants to leave this earth without being remembered as “good”. Even the most vile offender doesn’t want you to hold their wrong against them. They want to be remembered as that good son or daughter, father, mother or friend. This week as I stand ready to help my friend say good-bye to his mom, I can’t help to think of how he will remember her in the days to come. Will he have good memories of love and laughter? Will he remember her as a good thing?
Sigh…
Nick Ashford…I’ve had the pleasure seeing the amazing duo of Ashford and Simpson perform a few times, still able to move a crowd with their classic melodies. They’ve penned the most amazing songs ever placed in our life’s soundtrack. Truly gifted and prolific writers, they were able to write about the passion and longevity of lasting love and how to make this world a better place. What an amazing gift! What a tremendous loss. As Val says her last good-bye to Nick I know the words they wrote will resonate in her soul. I pray that good memories will comfort her in those quiet times. I pray the same for my friend and his family. Lastly I pray that we will do our best live life in such a way, that we too will be remembered as a good thing.
Rest in Peace Henrietta and Nick. Angels carry you home.
Remember me as a sunny day
That you once had, along the way
Didn’t I inspire you a little higher
Remember me as a funny clown
That made you laugh when you were down
Remember me as a big balloon
At a carnaval that ended too soon
Remember me as a breath of spring
Remember me as a good thing
elanaking
