A lesson to share

I was at a memorial service for a CCSC volunteer and was introduced to his adult children. Upon hearing where I worked, the daughter said, "volunteering at CCSC changed his life". She went on to explain that her dad often told her that interviewing clients at our food pantry changed his understanding of poverty.  He said he wished he had understood earlier in his life how little he really knew about other people and their situations.  Not just with poverty, but in general.

I find it profound that in the last season of his life, he acknowledged that he knew less about people than he thought he did.  His daughter went on to say that he wished he had had a little more humility and a little less certainty in life.  She smiled, and said "I'm still learning from him."

Me too, I thought.

The man who passed away was gentle, dignified and a pleasure to be around.  I would not characterize him as being anything less than gracious and kind.  So if this wonderful man admits he doesn't have all the answers and a bit more humility was needed in his character, then without hesitation, I profess the same need.

His memorial service was beautiful and reflective of his priorities in life: faith and family.  I walked away from the service with a gold nugget of wisdom and send a special thanks to his daughter for sharing one of her dad's last life lessons.