Noteworthy Moments

Noteworthy moments: events we'll remember forever. We all have them, safely tucked away in our memories. There are the obvious milestones, like graduation, wedding day, and the birth of a child.

Beyond that, though, there are so many other bits and pieces which - woven together - create a colorful fabric in our mind's eye. As I was thinking about this the other day, it occurred to me that one of my most noteworthy moments came out of left field.

Five years ago, my dear dad, who had been blessed with a long and fruitful life, died suddenly after a very short illness. It was my privilege to give the eulogy at his funeral. I felt a sense of responsibility to try to encapsulate his remarkable life...to pay homage to a man who had influenced me so deeply...to express publicly how much he meant to me and the many whose lives he touched.

I also wanted to make up for the fact that I hadn't done this for my mom many years prior. I was much younger then and a lot of things just never occurred to me as we were planning her funeral.

While the loss of my father filled me with great sorrow, preparing my remarks was actually an uplifting exercise. I wanted to do right by my dad. As someone who is comfortable putting words down on a page, this seemed like an assignment which was meant for me.

Weather delayed my flight home to Chicago for many hours - which gave me plenty of time to craft my message as I sat stranded at Logan airport in Boston. I was honored to have that opportunity to speak about my father in front of the congregation who had gathered to celebrate his life.

I have never delivered more important words in a public setting, and likely never will again. On this, the anniversary of my dad's birth, I remember a wonderful life well lived....and the special opportunity I had to eulogize him. Truly a noteworthy moment.