My daughter Kaidyn is 9. On Friday …
My daughter Kaidyn is 9. On Friday I took her to the audiologist for a hearing test, because she was asking us to …
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HelloChrissy 
Yesterday, I attended the funeral of a man that I had never met before. I went in honor of a friend and former co-worker of mine, who’s father suddenly passed away. I had heard a few stories about him and I always noticed the twinkle my friend's eye whenever she spoke of him. I knew my friend would be devastated by her father’s sudden passing, so my husband and I drove 2 hours in the pouring rain, to show our support and try to offer her some comfort.
During the funeral, numerous mourners stood up and talked about the man I had never met before. They spoke, one after another, about his generous nature, caring heart and sense of humor. For nearly 2 hours his friends and family sang his praise and reminisced about his incredible zest for life.
After only a few minutes, I found myself laughing, crying and grieving right alongside his closest friends and family. Throughout the service, I learned about the hundreds of lives he touched and his frequent altruistic acts while serving nearly 30 years of service to the Oxnard, California community. This once Marine Sergeant was also a police officer, a founding member of the Oxnard Police Department SWAT team, a member of the Ventura County Narcotics Task force, a founding member on the Governor’s Task Force against Sex Offenders and he later became a licensed polygraph examiner. This guy was busy. But never too busy to help a friend in need or call his daughter a couple of times a day, just to say, “I love you.”
By the time the service was over, I too, was grieving for the man that I had never met before.
And while he managed to touch so many lives while he was alive, even in his passing, he somehow touched a few more. I know my husband and I walked away from the service, inspired to become better people.
I think a good exercise in improving yourself... would be to simply think about what you would want your loved ones to say about you, at your funeral.
Dedicated to: Jamie Skeeters, the man I never met before: Thank you for making me want to be a better person.
During the funeral, numerous mourners stood up and talked about the man I had never met before. They spoke, one after another, about his generous nature, caring heart and sense of humor. For nearly 2 hours his friends and family sang his praise and reminisced about his incredible zest for life.
After only a few minutes, I found myself laughing, crying and grieving right alongside his closest friends and family. Throughout the service, I learned about the hundreds of lives he touched and his frequent altruistic acts while serving nearly 30 years of service to the Oxnard, California community. This once Marine Sergeant was also a police officer, a founding member of the Oxnard Police Department SWAT team, a member of the Ventura County Narcotics Task force, a founding member on the Governor’s Task Force against Sex Offenders and he later became a licensed polygraph examiner. This guy was busy. But never too busy to help a friend in need or call his daughter a couple of times a day, just to say, “I love you.”
By the time the service was over, I too, was grieving for the man that I had never met before.
And while he managed to touch so many lives while he was alive, even in his passing, he somehow touched a few more. I know my husband and I walked away from the service, inspired to become better people.
I think a good exercise in improving yourself... would be to simply think about what you would want your loved ones to say about you, at your funeral.
Dedicated to: Jamie Skeeters, the man I never met before: Thank you for making me want to be a better person.
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I've only been to three funerals in my life. Only one was by choice, the other two I was a child and had to go along.
JSchletz
Your story touched my heart. What an incredible man. By you sharing his life with us, he even touched more people's lives. Thank you. We all need reminders to try and be better people. Thanks Chrissy!
mom of 3
Thank you for sharing this man's story.
Mantis
Thank you for sharing your story. It goes without saying that you are truly a wonderful person. Not many people would show their support like you did and then to even come out of it touched like you did and then to be able to pass it along and touch others. THANK YOU and God Bless you, your family and your co-worker & her family!
dfitzy2
Thank you for sharing. It makes me have hope for the future.
mom2girls
You are amazing! What a beautiful story. Thanks for sharing this with us.
tedd200
what a beautiful thing to say about someone you've never met. you should show this to his daughter, I am sure she would be deeply touched.
Lee
chrissy--great post..thanks for the wonderful 'life lesson'
judy
JudyL
Chrissy, I am the better person for knowing you and Jason. When I saw you at my fathers funeral and the hug you gave me, made me realize as alone as I feel right and uncertain of how I will ever get past this, I do have comfort that I am truly blessed by knowing you and having you as my friend. I will never find the words to tell you what it meant to me and Kay having in there to honor my father; in my darkest hour I never imagined I could feel such an outpouring of love to help us through the most difficult day of our life. My father is my Mr. Wonderful, my Best Friend and I am so thankful we never wasted a moment to tell each other that. I am the better person for having him as a father and you as a friend. I love you and Jason for being you, the perfect friends with the perfect hug when I needed it the most. To honor my father I would like you to know that I love you both and your beautiful children very much. All my love Kimmie
Kimmie1111