I need to say a HUGE "Thank You" to everyone who made the trek to Carmel this weekend. And, above all, for standing in line at the calling Thursday night to pay respect to the family. Simply put, I was floored.
Never before had I witnessed such a multifarious atmosphere composed of sadness, gratitude, love and embrace. Yes, I was utterly exhausted after shaking hands and hugging for 5 hours straight, but the moment was incredibly special. I didn't want to sit down. Strangely, the more my back ached the more real became the moment. Ambivalence (yearning for both another individual to greet and for the line to end) took on another connotation.
The funeral home said that 350 people visited that night -- I would have guessed 1000. The room was decorated with over 60 bouquets from various groups, and more were delivered from the florist on Friday. Way to go Dad. Way to push the limits of capacity. We always knew the rules didn't apply to you.
On a similar note, I sincerely appreciated all the comments about this blog. It was truly my pleasure to keep you all informed about his condition. As a busy-body, I could think of no better way to "contribute" to the situation. I'm glad the address was passed along so quickly too. Dad had so many friends, most of whom I never before had the honor of meeting. I know he spoke so highly of us kids but it was very nice to hear it from a third party. We always did want to make him proud.
To that end, I am going to continue to blog. However, since Dad is now speaking to us through a living legacy, I decided to create another site dedicated to that subject. The link is here: Dad's Living Legacy. Perhaps it will be more personal than informative, but you all are welcome to join, read, and comment. Paying respect has never come easier to me than through words on a page.
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