Dying Rich

My father-in-law was a real charmer. His happy, even-keeled spirit led him to enjoy the finer things in life. For him, that was enjoying a good meal, sharing laughter with a grandson, telling stories – such as flying The Hump during WWII – and the contentment of knowing he was deeply loved by his family and God.

Since Pops lived in Michigan we always made the most of our time together. When he’d come to Texas my parents would always invite him over for dinner and Mom liked him from day one. He’d always gush over WHATEVER she made like it was the finest cuisine he’d ever eaten. His “thank you hun”s were never patronizing. They were genuine and sincere.

Unfortunately Pops smoked for decades before the ill effects were widely known. Although he quit about 20 years before he died, he spent the last 2 years of his life homebound with round-the-clock care, struggling to breathe. During that time he largely depleted his life savings.

Shortly before Pops’ passing I recall a phone conversation Mom had with him. She told him, “You are rich in every way that matters.” I was always amazed how Mom could come up with just the perfect thing to say at critical moments. Pops had lived most of his adult life in a simple two bedroom home, but when he breathed his last, I knew he had died a rich man.

Little did I know at the time that sixteen years later my Mom would also “die rich” WAAAY before I was ready. It is still a bit raw. But rather than dwelling upon her death, my heart swells to overflowing in remembering how she lived. Like Pops, Mom died rich because she knew how to LIVE rich.

She lived richly because she had a sense of adventure. She loved to go places, explore, learn, engage, and grow. Albums full of pictures recounts moments from travels from European countries to Mexico City to the Ozarks. Dad told me that when they went to Santorini, Greece many years ago Mom rode a donkey up a steep ocean cliff path! She was an engaged student on the front row of life.

Mom lived richly because of family. She loved having a big family and relished in setting a beautiful table and cooking for the clan. She loved shopping for each family member and  celebrated Christmas, every birthday, Valentines Day, or any day she could think of a reason to celebrate. Her grandchildren were an immense source of joy to her and she rejoiced in their victories and shepherded them through trials. 

Mom was most rich because of her deep faith. She made it a priority to find quiet time in this boisterous world to be open to Jesus. On many occasions she felt God speaking to her with very clear messages. She transcribed much of this inspiration into prayers and stories. Mom’s constant pursuit of her faith gave her great confidence. About thirty minutes after Mom learned she was terminally ill, I said to her with a bit of desperation, “I haven’t had enough time with you!” She immediately replied without batting an eyelash, “Baby, we’ll have plenty of time together on the other side.”

My husband and I just returned from a refreshing trip to Mackinac Island. We cycled past multi-million dollar homes and I heard a man talking about buying an island. Neither of those acquisitions are on my radar. What is on my to-do list is to love more, learn more, and strive to seek God in all circumstances. I want to live richly. Until I meet Mom on the other side I’ll do just that. I don’t plan on a steep cliff-side donkey ride in Santorini but hiking down the Grand Canyon sounds like an exciting adventure.