It is odd,
returning to my father's home in the wake of his death. The house
that he loved is intact and outwardly at least, stands as it has for
years. My mother is home, and the yard, garden, and inside are all
neat and tidy. Yet, it is as if a symphony plays—missing an
important instrument, and it is strange.
Click here to visit the memorial site for:
Richard Wolf Boone, March 29, 1927 - February 26, 2014
Death of Father
To laugh often and much;
to win the respect of intelligent people
and the affection of children;
to earn the appreciation of honest critics
and endure the betrayal of false friends;
to appreciate beauty;
to find the best in others;
to leave the world a bit better
whether by a healthy child,
a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition;
to know that one life has breathed easier
because you lived here.
This is to have succeeded.
to win the respect of intelligent people
and the affection of children;
to earn the appreciation of honest critics
and endure the betrayal of false friends;
to appreciate beauty;
to find the best in others;
to leave the world a bit better
whether by a healthy child,
a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition;
to know that one life has breathed easier
because you lived here.
This is to have succeeded.
attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson