crying at work...it's a wonderful thing...

[Palogal]

One of my bosses is in his 50's, my parents age and reminds me a lot of my Dad. He's a great man and loves all these little criminals we deal with.

The other day we were talking...
He recently had to bury his best friend of many decades and he was telling me about how he felt and how destroyed he was about it. I was surprised and touched that he told me about this, it seemed to be a very special memory to him. He told me about the funeral and the role he had in it, how much it meant to him and how he is the "uncle" to this man's grown boys. He was so honored to be a part of the ceremony. It was hard not to cry then.

He continued to tell me about an album he wrote with him, a Gospel album he wrote in the early 80s. He had it in his office. It was a record, a RECORD, with a picture of him as a younger man, bushy brown hair and the same kind eyes he still has today. It was a great picture. The only bummer of it was, I don't have a record player so I couldn't listen to it. He then reached into his drawer, pulled out a CD and said "Merry Christmas" with a big smile. So I listened to it when I went back to my classroom...and balled. I thought about his story as I listened to the music. The CD would make you cry on it's own. It is so fantastically simple and honest. The tears just kept coming...

We honor a legacy by telling the stories and sharing the memories as long as there is someone there to listen to them.

[lovesfortune]

What a great thing for him to trust you enough to share an important memory like that with you.

[Palogal]

What a great thing for him to trust you enough to share an important memory like that with you.


I woke up this morning still in awe. He is a man of great faith and I am truly honored to have his music and his story. Everytime I talk to him I miss my Dad who is in Chicago.

[JackieB]

That's a beautiful story. Thanks for sharing.

[gabhainn]

There is a line in prisoner of azkabahn i think that say those that hev died are never truly gone that we carry them with us, sounds to me like this man carries his friend with him

[Palogal]

There is a line in prisoner of azkabahn i think that say those that hev died are never truly gone that we carry them with us, sounds to me like this man carries his friend with him


We should all be so lucky to have someone like that to carry with us, and to be carried with our loved ones.

[FoxFireEMT]

i agree I think a lot of people have great stories to tell us, it's just a matter of taking the time to listen.

[Palogal]

i agree I think a lot of people have great stories to tell us, it's just a matter of taking the time to listen.

My grandfather can't remember where he is sometimes but he knows the first and last name of every man he fought beside and every prisioner he fed in WWII....and so do I.

[FoxFireEMT]

My grandfather can't remember where he is sometimes but he knows the first and last name of every man he fought beside and every prisioner he fed in WWII....and so do I.


Wow that is amazing. Some of my favorite patients are older folks, they always want to tell you a story. When I'm treating them in the back of the ambulance it seems to keep them calm if they are telling you a story. They always got so much to teach & tell!

[Palogal]

I think it's their way of making sure they remember what's important...kind of a way to check and see if they are completely lost or not. As long as they can tell their stories, they're still alive. But that's just MO.

[FoxFireEMT]

Good Point...

[Palogal]

So I figure that since Grandpa fought for our country, raised my father, taught me to ride a "big wheel" and let me grow peanuts in his garden when I was little, among many other things...I owe him assurance that he is still alive and his memories are important to me.

[Tatesgram]

Unfortunately, by the time many of use are old enough to appreciate their stories, they leave us. My mother doesn't care about the past, only the future. I thank God I have two aunts that tell me about my grandparents and even about my mother when she was younger.

[FoxFireEMT]

Tate your right, My Dad is a story teller & growing up with him I'd sit N listen to him but not hear a darn word he said. When I moved out & started working EMS I realized my Dad could leave me at any time with out my knowledge & I would have no "stories" to tell my kids about. Thankfuly I wasn't too old to realize I needed to pay attention to him!

[SedonaThunder]

What a wonderful man - thank you so much for sharing him with us! You are so right about the stories and stopping to listen... my grandparents passed before I was wise enough to know how important their stories and lessons were. I now do my best to catch every opportunity to listen to the stories of my parents and all the others I meet.

[gabhainn]

I am a weird one of my generation my grandad fought in WW1!!! my dad was a late child,grandad was 42, and when I lived w/ my grandad he was already in his lae 70's, I remember him telling me of his first car ride, he was 20. the first time he saw an airplane he was 17, and how he chased pancho villa all over the New Mexico border with Gen Pershing amazing the stuff these people have 2 tell us, we often take it for granted but i for one loved the stories......Kevin