How are you celebrating your life?

When you look back on the life you’ve lived so far, who are some of the people who have had a positive impact? 

Who helped shape the lens you look through today?

Maybe your 5th grade teacher?

Maybe your neighbor in 2nd grade?

Something we don’t often realize until later in life.  Because everything is clear in retrospect, right?

My sister-in-law’s parents have been some of these people for me.  

And this became clear to me last week at the funeral of her amazing dad, Dean.

My brother & sister-in-law (for the last 28 years) started dating years after I had already known my sister-in-law’s parents for several years. 

Her sister & I had been friends since...birth?  Kindergarten?  A very young age.

And so I had already known her dad’s smiling face, goofy jokes & incessant positivity for years.

He had seven kids.  Seven.  And he was positive all the time.  And he didn’t even drink. 😉

So last week at his funeral...as I listened to the grandkids (including my nephew) share their memories...As the priest shared stories of Dean’s enthusiasm for life...As I read the funeral program noting “Celebrating the Life” of Dean & the words he often said & his wife, Judy, still does…”Your presence here make this world a beautiful place.”  I smiled through tears.

How are you positively impacting the lives of others?  

How are you celebrating your life?