Yesterday morning, I read a story about two families whose lives were forever changed by a mistake made at a hospital. Two newborns were mistakenly labeled in the hospital nursery for the wrong family. The mistake was determined two years later when one of the mother's filed a paternity suit against the thought-to-be father of her son. The result of the DNA testing was undeniable.
The mother was also not the birth parent of her son. With that information, contact was made with the hospital. Hospital records showed there was only one other baby in the hospital nursery when her son had been born. The two births were close together in terms of time.
Can you wrap your head around how that information would impact a parent? I can imagine that both thought: "No - No -No - A Thousand Times No". Neither mother wanted to switch sons to correct the error. Seriously, how could they?
Interestingly, in the "Book Of Questions", the question is posed about what you would do in that situation? It is a thought-provoking question, and no doubt, not one easily answered.
There is another question in the book of questions that I've thought of often. The question is this: "If you were to die unexpectedly today without an opportunity to communicate anything with anyone, what would you most regret having not told someone?" The next apparent question is: "Why haven't you told them."
Historically, I've been privileged to stand with many families in an hour of need. It is my belief that a "celebration of life" service should live up to the name. I always asked family members what they valued most about their loved one before a funeral service. Ideally, I prefer they have time to give the question thought and then write their answer out. Regardless, I always ask the question even if no one wants to script their answer.
It always falls into the category of an awkward silence when the person asked cannot think of anything to share? You would be surprised at how often that happens. It is not a complicated question. For example: "What did you value most about your dad?"
Yesterday morning, I visited face-time with the man who created the Moments Worth Remembering book that he pulled together and presented to me after reaching out to many of my family and friends. I was unaware that any of that was taking place.
Every response in the book tugs at my heart strings. I cannot read through the book without getting teary eyed. The kindness shared with me by the thoughtfulness of others is both honoring and humbling.
When I read through the book the first time, I had the thought that it was like being at my own funeral service, except that I had the advantage of personally hearing kind things shared.
How do I say, "Thank You?" For all who participated in what reportedly was a very narrow window of opportunity (48 hours), please know that your thoughtfulness and kind words mean much.
All My BEST!
Don
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