Celebrating the Human Spirit

Last night I attended Walt Maher's funeral visitation in Mason, OH - and was compelled this morning to share this beautiful, touching human moment courtesy of Walt Maher's wonderful family. For context, my brother Jay and I played on the traveling charity 12wkrc basketball team and "the Coach" was Mr. Walt Maher. I played only (4) winters and my brother participated in about 10 total games over those great years.

When we found the church and ceremony last night for the visitation, there was a line out the church - about 90 minutes to wait and greet Walt's fantastic children & family. Arriving at the alter, to pay our respects to the family, we greeted and hugged son's Mike & Donny, who also played on the 12wkrc charity basketball team (17 years ago!) - then moved to hug Walt's wonderful loving wife, Mrs. Maher. She had obviously been battling her own illness and was very, very weak - sitting in a chair aided by her daughter-in-law. Mrs. Maher was seated just in front of Walt's open casket, a very touching moment, and as I reached for her to hug her, I was pretty certain she would have no idea who i was. It was such a fleeting moment so long ago and so I just embraced her, sharing what a great man Walt was and how wonderful her family is and how she & Walt had touched so many, many lives. She perked right up and said, "Tommy, you shared in our lives - we love you!"

I nearly broke down, and her daughter-in-law began to cry. I was conscious of the long line behind us, so i quickly hugged her to exit and as I was leaving she reached out to me with her hand and said, "Please tell your brother Jay I said hello." My brother Jay? Really? She was so weak and fragile, and I haven't seen her in 20 years, and she remembers my brother & wants me to wish him hello? I started to cry and uttered that I certainly would and reached back to hug her again and glanced at her daughter, who was holding Mrs. Maher, and she too was crying.

We all have one, daily simple choice to make. We can whine about the economy & Washington and our child's school youth coaches & on and on and on OR we can choose to celebrate the miraculous & neverending human spirit that moves each of us every day of our lives. Thank you & God bless Mrs. Maher & her loving family. And to my brother Jay - Mrs. Maher says "hello!"