Each life that touches ours....

The tabernacle in Paris Idaho.

When my dad died a little over a year ago there was no question who would be the speaker at his funeral, it would be Lawrence Wasden. Lawrence was my dad's home teacher for years. It was a inspired pairing. My dad loved to talk politics, and Lawrence lived politics. When my dad and Lawrence became separated by a ward boundary change, Lawrence still continued to come and visit my dad, no longer out of obligation, but out of friendship.

Lawrence began his talk at my dad's funeral by recalling that about a week before my dad died he had this feeling that he needed to go visit my dad. He got busy and distracted with life and did not act on that feeling. Then a week later he gets the call that my dad has passed away. He expressed his regret that he had not stopped, paused and acted. As I sat on the stand I thought about my own busy, demanding life and how often a thought of another person had popped into my mind, and I, like Lawrence, in the demands of life, brushed it aside. I resolved to do better, to be better, to stop, pause and act.

I am trying. I have a dear neighbor who lives just down the street. She is a wonderful lady, 102 to be exact, and well on her way to 103, (May 25). She is sharp as a tack, slow to move, and hard of hearing. A telephone conversation with her is difficult at best, and a visit in person needs to be kid free with lots of speaking loud. (At least I am good at that, the speaking loud, the kid free not so much...)

Iris is her name, and she and I are cousins. We not only share a polygamist grandfather, we come from the same wife, and that wife only had two children. Iris comes from one of those children and I came from another. Several years ago Iris gave me the privilege of reading her life history, and it explained sooooo much....I have decided I will pick nature over nurture any day of the week. We are two peas in a pod. Iris loves politics and as a single lady ran around in the political circles of Washington DC in the 1930's. Then a charming lawyer swept her off her feet, but did not derail her running in political circles, even after having a children. She was a single mom during WWII, while her husband was fighting in the war, and a society bell in the 1950's. After her time in DC ended she moved to Palm Springs in the 1960's, where her charming lawyer husband became quite a lawyer to the stars. She has traveled extensively, been and done just about everything, including meeting the Queen of England.

Above all Iris is graceful and elegant. At 102 she dyes her hair, and never leaves the house without being dressed to the "nines" with red lipstick, of course. She is a true lady in every sense of the word. I want to be Iris when I grow up.

Iris has been on my mind lately,....like a lot. I keep thinking I need to go visit with Iris. Then life gets in way, and I am reminded of what Lawrence said at my dad's funeral, stop, pause and act. I had run into the young couple that lives in Iris' house and helps care for her, and I inquired about Iris and they told me they though she was slowing winding down. Now that feeling I was having to visit Iris was even more pressing. Finally last week Iris was at Church. (She doesn't get out a whole lot in the winter, she does not want to slip and fall.) I took the opportunity to schedule a visit. Thursday was the agreed upon day.

I arrived yesterday afternoon. Iris told me I was a day early. After I convinced her it was Thursday, not Wednesday, she apologized for not being dressed in her usual fashion, and could not believe she had lost a whole day somewhere. We started our visit by talking about all our relatives in common, looking at pictures of homes she and other relatives grew up in, along with pictures of those relatives. Iris gave me a picture of the tabernacle in Paris Idaho, since our common relatives hail from Paris.

She asked about my life, my kids, and I in return inquired about her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. We told stories, we laughed, we enjoyed each other. Several times during the conversation Iris told me she could not believe she was still alive at 102, and "for the life of me I can't figure out why the Lord has allowed me to remain here."

Then our conversation drifted to more spiritual things. We talked about prayer. Iris told me that every day she prays to live a courageous life, a gracious life, and a grateful life. I paused. I thought. Her comment lingered in my mind. A courageous life, a gracious life and a grateful life. Wow. That is exactly the life she lives.

I wrapped up my visit, it was time to pick the kids up from school. Iris thanked me for coming, and I thanked her for sharing with me, and we promised to visit again soon.

As I walked the short distance to my house I thought about my visit. Despite the cold temperature, I felt very warm, very full, and very grateful for the pearls of wisdom Iris had just given me.

A courageous live, a gracious life, a grateful life. That is the life I want. I know why the Lord has allowed Iris to remain here, she has a lot to teach those who stop, pause and act.