| Topic: |
Sociology > Depression |
| User: |
"ensoul" |
| Date: |
06 Aug 2006 06:21:40 PM |
| Object: |
What was said at my husbands memorial |
Rev. Sandy Casewell
Richard Naas
Known by family and locally, by friends, as Rick
By his sisters and brothers as Richie or Rich
He dearly loved his family
Rick particularly adored his grandson, Julius. He said watching Julius
grow up was the most wondrous thing that had ever happened to him.
Undoubtedly, is there had been time, he would been equally awed by his
granddaughter, Mackenzie.
An avid reader and storyteller, Rick was also a deep thinker and has
his own opinions about things. He was open minded and embraced
alternative spiritual idea. He followed many of the precepts of Buddha
and believed in reincarnation.
Imagine a lake during a hot, dry summer, with a cloudless sky.
Everyday there is less and less water. Where is it going?
Than at last, clouds beginning to form in that hot bright sky.
In time, they shed rain that replenishes the lake.
The water has not ceased to be it just took another form. The lake
water became a water spirit. It was drawn to the clouds where it
rested for a time before returning to become part of the lake again.
So it with all spirits, including those housed within your flesh and
mine.
The body releases us - through death - and we move on through the
cycles of existence, freeing and rehousing spirits so each has a chance
to grow and express itself in ways appropriate to it'' nature while
remaining part of the whole.
We swim through spirits as we swim through air - spirits caught
between human lives, spirits of place, bird spirits, tree spirits,
water spirits - spirits so different from us that we can no more
understand them than a wolf can understand rainbows.
Spirits cannot be unmade. Nothing ceases to be even when the
conditions of existence change.
The spirit of Rick, the essential, living Rick has moved to another
form of existence and other opportunities that you and I cannot image
When one passes through the veil that separates the land of the living
from the land of the spirit, it appears that they nothing with them.
But that is not so. They take memories and they take love. They can
remember us as we remember them.
Although you cannot see him, Rick is here with us today. Now is the
time to honor him and express your love so that he may take those
things with him to the otherside.
Please bow your heads.
Rick we release you from this life to begin your journey to a place of
peace and joy.
Know that will be missed.
Know that you are loved and no one will replace you in our hearts.
Go now, Rick. Move beyond form, flowing like water, feeding on
sunlight.
Pass through the veil. Enter the dark without fear, in perfect love and
perfect trust, return to the womb of life.
We release you and commend your spirit to the Light.
The spirit of Rick has left us but we know, he has simply taken another
form and, whether in this life or the next, this world or another, we
will see him and love him again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What I said:
Rick and I started with both not wanting anything serious. Much like
the 1960's song, Fooled Around and fell in love. I can't even tell
you we exactly did.
Rick wouldn't take no for answer, I kept blowing him off when set up
dates to go to the movies or out to dinner, I wouldn't show. He'd
walk an hour over to my place and wait even longer on my front steps
for me. That was the beginning of it all.
He told me had been looking for me for his life, that we had always
known each other. And he said, how much he loved having family.
Rick told me I taught him about family and love. He taught me about
unconditional love.
He loved going out to dinner and would tell that I made him good.
Rick could always make me laugh - loved coming into the living room
just his boxer's on doing a crazy dance. Arguments didn't last;
one of would apologize or make the other laugh. We both Van Morrison,
he'd drop everything when his music played, he'd come get me so we
could dance.
Never in my life had I ever believed in soul mates. Rick showed me it
was true, he made me believe. He said we wouldn't have enough time in
this life together, that our love was strong to carry on to the next
life. I do believe him.
A quote by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross says it well; Death is but a
transition to another existence where there is no more pain an anguish.
All the bitterness and disagreements will vanish and the only lives
that live forever is love.
We had our song by the Beatles, In My Life. A few lines of it are:
Of all these friends and lovers
There is no one that compares with you
But in my life I loved you more.
We shared hopes & dreams, good time & bad, Rick is the love of my
lifetime, and my very best friend.
I'll leave with a quote by Helen Kellior; What we have once enjoyed,
we never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My daughter said this:
Rick entered my life when I was at a rather fragile point. While our
relationship started a bit rocky, it slowly then suddenly, bloomed.
I've come to learn that sometimes families are created when you least
expect them but most need them. As I look back at the support and
assurance and he provided me, I wish I always had the opportunity to
know the friendship we had.
His connection with my son, Julius, can be describes as nothing short
of precious, strong and eternal. Their time together was cut short but
the memories of the fun, laughter and love surrounding their unique
relationship will remain forever.
I thank Rick for the kindness, love, compassion and acceptance he
provided. He is dearly missed and his contribution to my life will
never be forgotten.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Said by his close Friend, Larry
I knew Rick for many years as one of my closest friends.
We met during a point in time that was an important turning stone in
Rick's life.
He came to the Hornell area after putting aside an adventurous
lifestyle
to start a new chapter of lifetime experiences here
and after his lifetime partner - Lynn introduced our group of friends
to him,
I think he could've written a book!
Rick was a proud man who loved life and never regretted the life he
lived
He loved to fish, debate, philosophize and most importantly to share
war stories with his friends.
When our friends and I first learned of Rick's illness, we formed a
dart club in an effort to support him and give him a means to vent some
of the frustration and concerns that was weighing heavily upon him.
Even though he wasn't the best at shooting darts, he always placed in
the top ten out of nine throwers. And because of that solid position in
the standings we gave him the nickname of "player no. one". One
day he told me that he hated throwing darts, but he played in our dart
club anyway because he knew that we formed it to support him. He said
"I could barely see the dart board when I was shooting,
but I didn't want to disappoint any of my friends."
Rick was a compassionate man that would put the welfare of others
before his own.
He loved his family, friends and was a devoted husband, (to coin his
own words)
Rick would go to any lengths to make others happy while feeling sick
himself.
He could somehow sense when someone was in need of a cheering up
And he was always quick with a joke or a story to tell (even if it
wasn't funny)
Rick relayed one wish to me before his passing. He told me to tell
everyone not to be sad about his passing, but rather to celebrate his
moving on to yet another chapter of experiences on the other side. This
time without the pain.
Rick's out-going personality won over the friendship of everyone he
met
And he will live in the memories of every soul he touched.
I am proud to say that Rick Naas was my friend.
God Bless you Rick where ever you are. May you rest in peace.
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: What was said at my husbands memorial |
07 Aug 2006 09:33:31 AM |
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Thank you for sharing that.
He was a truly special guy, and yu guys had something that people wait
their whole lives for and never find.
I hope the pain gets less every day, until only the good remains.
Bobbie
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