We just returned from a short trip to mid-Missouri. I attended a 2-day training session for Rotary president-elects for 2008-09 and we were able to combine the trip to meet with our CPA and get our taxes done. The Rotary event was educational, fun and very worthwhile – the tax meeting was anything but! Any ideas we had of coming out even this year with our buddies at the IRS and MO Dept of Revenue were quickly squashed but our CPA pointed out the good news that we only paid a penalty of $2 to use their $ for a good part of the year. Ever the optimist, huh?
Our CPA is in Fulton so we headed there from Jeff City early on Friday and had breakfast at Mom’s Cafe – home of my dad’s coffee club which held court every weekday morning (and still does) at the big table near the front window. Here my dad and his friends solved every problem known to man – and then some. We walked up the main drag but it was too early for much commerce on Court Street – then after we finished our appointment we took a quick drive by the home my parents owned for over 40 years. Halfway back to Jeff City I reluctantly remembered we hadn’t been by the library to look at the trees that were planted in their names but we’ll be back this summer for my class reunion.
Yesterday afternoon I was in a breakout session and found myself seated next to the president-elect of the Fulton Rotary Club. When I mentioned my Fulton connection I was pleased that he fondly remembered both my parents and my sister Susie. Susie lost her battle to cancer just as she was about to become the first female president of that Rotary Club and this gentleman had stepped into her spot and now is serving another term. He also was one of my dad’s coffee cronies and regaled me with a few choice stories that let me know just how well he knew him – stories that captured my dad’s wit and wisdom. He even recalled quite clearly how vehemently opposed my dad was to allowing women into his Rotary Club – but true to his nature, the day the vote allowed for female members my father came to the meeting with a completed new member application to make my sister the first female member of his club.
I was truly moved to know his memory is still alive since it’s easy to think that only our family carries these thoughts after 12 years. As I reflected on our conversation later I paused to think how/if anyone will remember me 12 years post-life – but more importantly, I need to model my life so those who do carry memories will think of me positively. Since I’m not one who believes in coincidences, I can only give thanks that God saw fit to put this “sweet memory” reminder in front of me this weekend.
