I remembered him recently posting that quote to his caringbridge, or facebook or something, and it struck me as SO "Eric" Looking at it now in retrospect, I think it was more than just a nice saying, it was probably true. The last day he was alive or the first day he was in heaven... Both are pretty special, right?
I'm sitting here typing, bawling like a baby, trying to process the crazy mind vortex, as my new friend Hunter describes it, of all the thoughts flying around my mind popping from one to the next. I remember the years we went to church together, the one Christmas eve where i was alone with the kids because andy had to work, and i ended up in the lobby with the twins, and Eric ended up in the lobby with Caanan, who is, i think a couple months older than the twins. Anyway, we talked about stuff, life, work, (he was a stay at home parent like me). He was one of those people who was so sincere. So real, so CONTENT. He always had a way of putting things into perspective, when i'd complain about something or other, but not in a mean way or a condescending way, you know like some people do, but just really sincerely he'd say something like, EVERY day is a good day, and then go on to explain why.
I remember the first time i learned of his brain tumor was one summer that his family, my family, and his sister's wife's family were all at the spray park together and he mentioned it in passing and i was like, WHAT? I guess his initial tumor which had happened before we started attending St. Lukes in 2001 had gone into remission before we met them at St. Lukes. he wasn't supposed to survive that one either. But he had- long enough to have 2 beautiful children with his lovely wife, Who my heart is so breaking for now. She's so young, far too young to be a widow. Its hard to tell which emotion is "winning" at this point, my grief for them, or my strange sense of joy for Eric.
Why Joy? Because Eric is one of the FEW people I know that i can say for certain that he IS in heaven right now. I wonder if he can see us. I wonder if he'll be able to see the hordes of people that i'm sure will be at his funeral. Its easy to be so happy for him to think back through what he's been through, and know that finally he's cured. From these bodies of death that we all have to struggle through, he's finally FREE. Free from the struggle of the flesh, of making hard choices, of choosing sin and seeing the repercussions of it. The pain is gone. His body is now perfect. He won't hurt anymore, he won't cry anymore, everything will work exactly as it should. I bet it IS his favorite day.
But i can't say its mine. We love you Eric. Thanks for all that you taught us. Will be giving you the biggest hug ever when we meet up with you, sometime soon!
Prays for peace and comfort to Eric's family and to you.
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