It’s early but a couple of lessons have come into sharp relief after this week’s events:
1. Take more pictures
I casually snapped this picture with my phone during last Wednesday’s praise team practice. The tip of Rick’s shoe is in the far left. I considered for a second taking a second one to complete the circle but decided not to. I really wish I had. After practice Rick locked the front door and I locked the back. That was the last time I saw him.
In the age of digital technology there is literally no reason at all to not take a couple hundred pictures a week. I’m not saving any trees by not taking pictures.
2. Tell people how important they are to you.
Many have observed this week how sad it is that we wait for funerals to tell people what we really think of them, which is dumb because they can’t hear it, there gone. You might feel stupid choking up in the coffee shop with your man buddies but it needs to be said. There won’t be a dry eye at the truck stop tomorrow.
Addendum January 29, 2011
Thanks to Phil McGrath, who was sitting next to me and took a picture also during praise team practice December 8th, 2010. Sitting on my right gave him a better angle. Rick appears in the far left of his photo.
ephesians2eight 
The entire time that Brian was talking on Thursday, all I could think of was how long it’d been since I saw my dad. I’d actually seen him last Thursday but it seemed like a really, really long time, so I sent him an email when I got home.
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Also, I really appreciated your thoughts on Thursday and I’m amazed that you held it together. There’s no way I could have.
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Noel, could we have what you said at Rick’s funeral? Thanks.
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Hey Noel, I also took pics that evening…just because it was my first time there. However, Heather was just looking through my phone pics the other day and told me about this blog post. I have a pic with Rick in it, I will send it to you.
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I’ll repost it. Thanks
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