I was just notified about the death of a very close friend. Many people will know about him because I do mention him often. Reverend James was a black man who claimed me as his grandson, he was truly a bizarre individual who gave me insight when life was beating me down. I really do not want people to say they are sorry because the man lived one day short of forever and most of it was a happy life.
The thing that I loved about the man was he showed me what true love meant. When there was a person whom I loved that purposefully set out to hurt me he explained that true love will always be but that does not mean that those you love will always be a true love. He spoke in riddles and many times it took weeks to even grasp what he was saying but I always came out for the better after talking with him.
He was a black man who thought that the white man was cursed by God yet he also thought that even a white man could find the grace and understanding of God and be equal with all others. This has always caused problems with my white friends because they saw it as racist but I understood that he believed that under God's grace all men where equal.
When a person dies the immediate reaction is to say how much of a saint they were, he never claimed to be a saint and actually enjoyed telling people that he was scum but that at times he allowed God to use him in mighty ways. He spoke of King David and what a horrible man he was but when he allowed God to use him he accomplished great deeds. His goal for me was to get me to allow God to control my life more often then I controlled it.
I will miss the man, I do wonder if he now realizes that Jesus was a Jewish man and not an African....... the truth is I do not care because I have learned things from him that will last me my life time. Even more important I have learned things that I have passed down to my daughter and she will pass down to her children and they to their children. This man while not famous or well known or even well liked by many will make a difference for generations to come. He may not be remembered for years to come but his wisdom will last as long as there are people on this Earth.
Rest In Peace my dear friend, mentor and "black" grandfather........
I Carry You With Me is a music video that depicts the loss of a loved one. Everyone in life is faced with having to let go. Sometimes we all will carry that person in our hearts forever and this song depicts that deep special love that is felt for that special someone.
I Carry You With Me.... Ava Aston
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Tremendous eulogy, Mike. My condolences...with your powerful words, I sense the loss you feel. I can rejoice at the prospect of you introducing him to me "on the other side."
ReplyDeleteJoe in Germany
That is a wonderful video, Michael. I watched it the other day when you posted a story about Ava. I'm sure that your friend is rejoicing w/the Father as I type this. I know that you will miss him, but he will live on through you and any of the other lives he touched! :-)
ReplyDeleteI never met the man but read several times where you talked about him. I to will miss him because he always seemed to straighten you out when you started to go over the deep end. I enjoyed the stories and "riddles" you would tell about and how he would guide you through tough times. Please know that there are many people like me that this man helped yet never met him.
ReplyDeletethank you for sharing. I lost my younger brother a month ago on Dec. 29 of a heart attack. Its been really tough. He was the closest person in my family to me. This song meant a lot to me. Im crying now, because it has helped me. I know now I can carry him with me.
ReplyDeleteThat has to be the best song ever for those of us who have lost loved ones. My son died in a car wreck less then a year ago and my heart sang with the thought that I carry him with me.
ReplyDelete"Grandpa" will continue to be a part of your life in your memories. Sometimes I laugh at the thought of what my own Grandpa would say in a situation. And you're right, passing his wisdom on to others you love is a great way to honor him. I too had a friendship similar to yours. Isn't it amazing how such a friend who knows God's love can destroy generations of barriers? Race as an issue was a non-issue for me since the day I met George Motley. I look forward to seeing him again. He'll surely have many new stories to tell by then.
ReplyDeleteIt is funny how the guys that actually went through the real horror of racism seem to be the ones who did not have a problem with whites. They stood up and made a difference leaving this world with people of all colors wondering what the big deal about the color of skin was all about in the first place.
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