Climb That G*ddamn Mountain

Don’t get me wrong, Michael loved Jesus. He could have the most theological discussions with doctorates in the field, quote more scriptures than most from the King James, play hymns on the piano, and teach Sunday School like a pastor. He was a believer.

But, he lived every minute of everyday. When I saw this Jack Kerouac quote yesterday, it summed up Mike. You couldn’t find a more dedicated, hard-working, attention-to-detail, intelligent, and articulate person in his field of accounting and investments. And loyal, bar none. However, he was always planning our next adventure that often included climbing mountains and climbing out of the Grand Canyon, to name only a few.

While I only had him in my life for 14 years, it felt like a lifetime of adventures … and I never said, “no” to his plans (but, I did cuss him a few times). These photos are just a snippet of the memories that play like home movies in my heart sometimes.

One of the last things Mike clearly said, before soon losing his ability to speak, when telling family on Christmas Eve he had reached the limit of what science could do to manage the glioblastoma multiforme (brain cancer) that returned with a vengeance: “I’m saved, I know I’m saved, I know I’m going to Heaven … now Lori, she’s upset.”

And in all seriousness, that’s the part that broke his heart was, in his words; “I have the easy part. You have to find a way to go on living and raise Sam and Grace without me.”
Today was strange.

There are days his last moments feel like a lifetime ago, and other times, it’s like yesterday. I thought of the Kerouac quote often today while eating at his favorite restaurant and taking flowers to his grave with the kids this evening … “You won’t remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing the yard. Climb that g*ddamn mountain!”

Mike lived that. And that is just what we’ll keep doing.