Life’s full of changes – you just never know…
Of late, change has been about the only constant for your well-coiffed scribe. After the firm where I spent the last dozen years folded – following a poorly implemented acquisition – another element of change visited in the form of unemployment.
When those times come, heavy doses of introspection always arrive with them.
What’s next?
What do I want to do?
How will this affect my retirement?
Do I really need that $25 cigar?
While my schedule’s freed me considerably since January 23rd, it’s also gotten so busy I’m not sure where I found time to work in the first place. But a constant mental health break has been sharing time with some of the guys at my cigar club. That’s where I went today for lunch.
On the coffee table, were parts of the Kansas City Star. Since I don’t read the endless, repetitively redundant articles by our illustrious blog editor about its pending demise (editor’s note, that’s the Pitch not the Star) I’ve not followed details of the Incredible Shrinking Star. When I picked up the parts, I found out it was actually an entire paper.
Shocking…the flimsy fragments weren’t a Pitch, it was a Star!
A couple of stories in, I came to the obituary section. Obits are now a revenue stream for the Star as it squeezes every drop of blood out of a family it can, inch by column inch.
For a modest fee, you can print, “Bob Died.”
Anything more and you’ll pay dearly to extoll the greatness and memory of your friend or family member. It was then I noticed a whopping 14 inches dedicated to Harold Michael Bowman. A picture accompanying the obit indicated things were not exactly perfect with “Mikie.”
The authors, Mikie’s brother and sister, said he was finally “free of all the chains that had bound him during his stay on earth.”
Mikie lived a life of Down Syndrome, autism, epilepsy and psychosis.
But that isn’t what defined who he was.
His brother and sister described how they cared for him for all of his 58 years, 364 days, “amazed at the strength and determination with which he met each day. And, most of all we were awed by his joy and his zest for life.”
“At the end of a long agonizing day as we were waiting for the funeral home to come and take Mikie’s body, his nurse came in to “toe tag” him (for real), and said the funeral home wanted to know if Mikie had any valuables and if so, wanted us to take them home with us. We couldn’t help but be struck by the irony of this question. We told the nurse that Mikie never had a penny in his pocket, never had a key to anything, never a wallet – never anything. He never even knew if he had food or clothes (which he hated) or shelter. He just was. He spent his whole day smiling. He had a smile that could light up a whole room. He never had anything yet he was the richest man we ever knew. He had a huge heart and trusted that everything would be taken care of. He just took whoever’s hand was reaching out for him and went forward walking in peace and incredible faith.”
That one comment stuck with me…he just was.
It’s stories like Mikie’s that bring life full circle, back into perspective.
I’m watching a family member on my wife’s side, preparing to do battle with MS at 20 years of age. My daughter’s mother-in-law, fighting cancer, just a few short years into a well planned retirement. And I’ve watched my wife battle multiple health issues over the past five years.
It was my wife who said, “If you sat in a circle with all your friends and everyone threw their problems into the middle of the room where you could see them all……you’d most likely pick up your own problems and go home…”
She’s right.
Rest in peace, Mikie.
I don’t know you; never met you, but your story touched me today in a real and profound way. It was the most important story in the Star since I don’t know when.
And to the brother and sister who dedicated 58 years and 364 days to Mikie’s care, you are the angels who walk among us.
God Bless you…
An absolutely beautiful life described here. Mikie’s life is an
inspiration to all.
Thanks Paul for sharing this with us.
Thank you for reading it, good Doctor….
Amazing young man , and all the caring loving people in his life !!!! God Bless
One of your very best!
🙂
It wouldn’t have been written if not for Mikie’s brother and sister, however…
Thank you, Chuck, I appreciate you…
Beautifully stated! Let’s be thankful to carry just the burden’s that we have. And may we smile with grace through it all like Mikie!
Love me some Rachel.
Great story! Thanks for sharing it with us.
My pleasure…thanks for reading it.
As a non-believer, it is stories like these that make me think that if there IS anything on the other side, folks like Mikie and his siblings have punched their ticket for entry. As difficult as life can be at times, it is hard to imagine the added responsibility of caring for someone with such profound challenges. It appears Mikie met those challenges with a smile and joy. In my book, that is pure courage.
Thanks for the reality check, PW. Much appreciated.
Thanks, Jim. Believer or not, I need a daily reality check. It seems to keep me from sending myself an invitation to my own self imposed pity party.
Thanks for your comment, as always.
One other thing, as I am a believer, but not a Bible Thumper….
Jesus was asked by many what it took to get into heaven. His answer was never, “Tithe 10%.” It was never, “Don’t smoke, don’t chew and don’t go with girls who DO….” It was never, “Pray 5 times a day facing 37 degrees to this direction….”
He gave but one and only one answer –
“What you have done for the LEAST OF THESE…you have done unto me.”
Mikie is and was the proverbial “least of these.”
The downtrodden.
The poor.
Not the usurious, professional poor, but the true poor.
The tired and the sick.
The misunderstood.
The homeless.
The “least of these” are those who can’t defend themselves. Those for whom true social justice should be there for.
Given the words of Jesus, you hit the nail on the head. Mikie’s brother and sister did, indeed, punch their ticket.
And you know what makes that more significant to me? I don’t know them, but I’ll promise you, their motive wasn’t to one day find their way to the pearly gates of heaven…. Their motive was to love their brother as Christ loves us.
They did that.
And they did that in a way none of us likely ever will or could, pagan or red letter Christian.
I always appreciate your comments, AKA. You get it, not matter what you do or don’t believe.
Thank you for being that guy.
Thanks, PW. Very nice of you to say.
My best friend on the face of this earth is quite a devout Catholic. It’s never an issue for us. We agree that living this life honestly, fiercely, humbly and with purpose is really the only thing we are in control of. As long as I’m the best human being that I can be in this dimension, I’ll let the “afterlife” chips fall where they may.
Thanks again for the kind words.
Like it or not, the traits you listed make you Jesus’ kind of “Christian.” Hope that doesn’t leave you in a spiritual quandary.
It also leaves you ahead of a lot of self righteous minions racing for their assigned seats on Sunday morning to look the part….but missing the message.
When those “after life chips fall where they may,” it could really f*ck with you when you come face to face with the 6lb 8oz Baby Jesus and hear him say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant…” while the indignant “faithful” are scratching their heads saying, “I sure didn’t see THAT one coming!”
Have a great Wednesday, we’re half way through another week!
Damn. You must be channeling my mother. She’s still working on me at 86 years old. But, I’ll spare you the kiss on the forehead and the obligatory, “OK, Madre’. OK. ”
I’m off this Sunday morning for a much needed 8 day vacation in Mexico. I’ll catch you when I catch you.
Cheers!
No, I’m not channeling anyone…but she did say she’d give me $100 to say that…. and I’m unemployed.. so a buck is a buck!
Have a GREAT trip…. we’ll share a cigar when you get back.
Paul, thats actually the most heart-warming thing I’ll read today.
Your words paint quite the picture.
That was my intention. We can all use a infusion of “happy” once in a while, even in the face of loss…
A life well lived, even for one not knowing all the “rules,” huh?
Very nice Paul. Thank you.
Thank you for checking it out, CG.
Crying in my Cream of Wheat, literally.
Beautiful and much needed words.
Thank you. God bless these and all angels among us.
Mary, I’m thinking you may have just written or plagiarized a country song right there! Glad you enjoyed it; I loved writing it.
Well! That’s one fine piece of writing in the midst of a chaotic world, Mr. Wilson!
The simple, contented pleasure of just living, just being is totally lost in our society today. In fact, I expect some have lost their way so badly, they will read this article or even my last sentence not even pausing to consider the depth of this kind of message. Constant busyness, overcommitment and over-inflated self importance seem to be the methodology in a lot of peoples lives. Opinions, political positions and one’s faith decisions divide friends and families, and everything has become more complicated than it should be.
Thank you for being a positive, encouraging, yet challenging voice in a divisive sea of unkindness!
I think you’re kind of a big deal. A piece like this flies in the face of all the negative news and stories constantly dangled in front of us. Thank you for making a difference by sharing something motivating and positive. That’s the kind of intuitive stuff that helps people get stronger and be better.
Have a great day Paul D Wilson!
Well said, Veronica.
+1
Morning, Stomper. Thanks for commenting on Veronica and overlooking the author!!
Why thank you, sir. Have a fantastic day.
Thank you, Veronica; long time no see. It’s nice to see you commenting again. This sight can always use more intelligent women!
Well, sir, in my humble opinion, I tend to talk too much and am striving to learn to use my words with more intent. One learns more by listening well, and I’ve been busy turning my stubborn heart and mind that direction. Your words shared in the article resonated with what is happening within myself, and something that I perceive as a pivotal part of improving the direction of our society. If I’m trying to learn to listen better, I must also be willing to comment when something seems wise and deserting.
Paul:
Thank you for this……and thank you Mikie for the invaluable life lesson…..I am glad God has freed you of all your chains…..
Thanks Mark! So nice of you to come check it out!
Of all the hate that is in the world right now, this shows that there is hope and kindness beyond the ugliness. Thanks for showing it. Good Job.
Thanks, Goose. Appreciate your comments.
Having read this I believed it was very informative. I appreciate you finding the time and effort
to put this informative article together. I once again find myself spending a
significant amount of time both reading and
leaving comments. But so what, it was still worth it!
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That was pretty funny, Barn, thanks.
I waste as much time writing as you do reading and commenting. It’s all kind of a questionable, but what the heck.
He’s baaaack!
But lest you think Sir Paul has forfeited his edge, check out his followup column!
Heya excellent blog! Does running a blog like this take a
great deal of work? I’ve absolutely no understanding of
computer programming but I was hoping to start my own blog soon. Anyways,
if you have any recommendations or tips for
new blog owners please share. I understand
this is off subject but I just needed to ask.
Thank you!
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