Eulogize the Living

Father’s Day is coming once again. And with it, comes a wonderful opportunity for anyone blessed to have a living father, father-in-law or husband. Think of it as a time to “eulogize the living.”

We’ve all been to funerals. Heard beautiful eulogies from friends and family about the impact the dearly departed made with their life.

Have you ever wondered…did the person who passed away have any idea of the impact of their life or how well loved they were?

A conversation is seared in my memory with a sweet woman whose husband had passed unexpectedly. She was recounting her husband’s funeral and the eulogy that was delivered by her son-in-law. He was a quiet type, not given to much expression of emotion.

This woman was shocked to hear her son-in-law talk about how much he loved her late husband and to highlight the many character qualities that influenced him so deeply. And these are the words I can’t forget: “My husband had no idea our son-in-law felt that way about him.”

That, friends, is tragic.

Why do we wait? Why don’t we tell the people that we love what they mean to us? Why don’t we affirm their strengths and let them know of their impact in our lives?

It’s uncomfortable.  We worry about what they will think of us. We don’t want to become emotional. Lots of excuses…all of them, pretty lame.

Are there things you would say after someone’s death? Start expressing them now! Think of it as “eulogizing the living.” 

Father’s Day provides a wonderful opportunity to do just that. Write the men in your life letters and tell them what they mean to you. Affirm their strengths. Tell them that they matter. Tell them why.  

Keeping sincere encouragement from someone is like keeping a seed packet unopened. The seeds will never grow if they stay in the packet. But if they are placed in the soil, they will likely germinate, grow and blossom.

This Father’s Day, let’s pour seeds of encouragement into the men in our lives. Let’s eulogize the living.