July 17, 2003

Today we laid a Brother to rest. Such days as these are tough. Not only because we mourn the loss of one we’ve known so long, but it also forces us to look down the road of life to the inevitable. We not only mourn the passing, we mourn our own mortality. On days such this we silently say to ourselves “But for the grace of God…” There’s nothing in life quite like someone's passing to stop us short and take a hard look at our own lives, to reflect and struggle with unsettling questions. Some may reflect on what they’ve done in their lives. The smart ones will reflect on what they’ve done with their lives. For some this may be a blessing. Perhaps it’s the final gift given by those who leave before us, that through our tears we might see the road more clearly.

            Someone has said that life is like a book. There’s a beginning, a middle and an ending. For some in the Book of Life the final chapters are being written. When the book is finished we can think of no better ending then to have it say, “They made a difference.”

Kevin A. Pope
1950 - 2003

"HE MADE A DIFFERENCE"