What do you want people to remember about You? This is not about the right or wrong, good or bad of pursuing goals, dreams and career aspirations.
It is about who you are at the core and how you express it, who you let see it and what you allow to affect it. Because if we allow who we are to be true in our self and expressions, and especially in our relationships, it will flow over in a good way, into all of our other life cubicles.
Today is the day of the funeral, for a man I have known for over 20 years. He was not rich, nor powerful or even well known. He was well loved though.
Why? Because whatever he did, job, entertainment, running errands, and with family, his true intentions leaked out all over everybody. His intention – to show them love and mercy. The love and mercy he felt he had received so much of in his relationship with Christ.
He was never pushy, judgmental or harsh. He was certainly no saint and definitely not self-righteous. He truly was one of the “balcony people”. Those people who are always lifting us up, encouraging when we need it and believing that we can rise to something higher.
There are not as many of those types of people as we need. And often we don’t even see them. But we truly, truly need them.
I would encourage you today to do two things. First, look for those types of people in your life. They’re often quietly rooting for you, not drawing a lot of attention to themselves. There when you need them, not asking for accolades. If you don’t have at least one, start now to keep looking till you find one.
And second, start being that person for someone else. When something good happens to them, don’t harbor jealousy or wish them bad. Celebrate with them. Guess what, you’ll enjoy the celebration too.
And when something bad happens (as it does to all of us at some time), be there for them. You don’t even need to talk, just be there. And when they are ready, encourage them as they get back up and keep walking. Life is better as a balcony person.
Al Weiss – this is for you, one of my truly treasured Balcony People.
Today is a day of rejoicing and weeping in mourning for myself and many I know, including the family of Al Weiss. Pastor Al is now with the God he loved so much and so faithfully served for so many years.
He was (IMHO): A friend to everyone he ever met, an incredible vessel of mercy, a dork, a bringer of Hope and Peace, a loving father, husband and grandfather, a pastor down to his DNA, a silly (i.e. bad) joke teller, a trustee of pain and healing, a fun lover, a chicken-legged shorts wearer, a sports enthusiast, his sons’ best cheerleader, a thankful husband praising his wife and calling her “blessed”, a helping hand to all, and the Pastor who was willing to be “a jerk” when I needed him to be. And for 21+ years, a friend who walked with me through the darkest times of my life. He and his Blessed wife Juanita, and even his sons, were there for me, my husband and my sons Everytime we needed them.
He is now free of all of the pain and suffering. But his family and his friends are left missing this human being who did the bravest thing of all – He cared.
Please pray for his family, in particular and his friends, in general, as we figure out how to live here without him. He truly was one in a million!
Thank you Juanita, Bryan Weiss, Brandon R Weiss, Ben Weiss and all of the rest of the “Weiss-en-heimers” for your generous sharing of Al with us.