Yesterday I went to my great aunt Shirley’s funeral.. and today we are off to celebrate the life of my husband’s cousin’s husband’s father.

I know.. I know.. it sounds like the plot line of a sitcom … but as an author?

I don’t think I could make up souls as beautiful as these.

I bet you all believe me that my great aunt touched my life..

.. but I also bet that your eyes keep drifting back to the line my husband’s cousin’s husband’s father in doubt..

Well I’ll admit that I didn’t know a lot about this man’s past.. and he was very likely not perfect. None of us are.

So if I didn’t know him well … why do I want to take time to celebrate Mick’s life?

When I saw this man at a family function? There were always a lot of people around. Family and friends gathered around having a good time. People he knew really well. Yet he walked around and had great conversations with everyone there..

He even made time for his son’s wife’s cousin’s wife..

.. even though he wouldn’t have needed to..

He always asked about how my kids were doing and how I was doing.. listening closely to what I answered. He always listened so carefully. He had this way of making you feel like you were the most important person in the room to him at that moment.

I spoke to Mick a couple weeks ago .. as we celebrated an auntie’s life. He told me about some of his medical conditions and told me about the miraculous way he pulled through them.

Not bragging..

Mick explained how Blessed he was for every moment he had on this Earth with his family .. and that he would only admit defeat when God told him he was done. Not anyone else.

He used that story to encourage me to keep reaching for the stars for my son. To not listen to anyone who said I should accept limitations.. until I saw the limits myself.

He always ended our conversations with a hug. He always told me to let him know if I needed anything because that was what family was for..

Family..

His son’s wife’s cousin’s wife…

Family.

Watching Mick walk away that last time reminds me of a beautiful butterfly I saw this summer. It landed next to me on my truck. And sat there forever allowing me to enjoy its colors and take pictures of it. The miracle of something so beautiful is so much better than anything found in fiction.

And then?

Then the butterfly took flight .. off to brighten someone else’s day.

Leaving me to feel so Blessed at that Beautiful encounter.

I am so thankful for every single beautiful encounter I had with my husband’s cousin’s husband’s dad.

.. and that is why I am going to celebrate his life today.