With my twin brother’s passing over a year ago and with
our 66th birthday approaching, I thought it would be nice to do a
post about his life.
Mike and I were born in a mid-western family – a good
family unit with a loving home and the goodness of a beautiful childhood. We
felt safe and secure and our needs were provided for and we had the support of
family, friends, neighbors and our church. Mike loved people and he was constantly
on the go. In fact, one day, he arrived at our Dad’s grocery store on his
tricycle (yes, he was riding a tricycle, so you know how little he was). The
grocery store was a few blocks away and it required crossing a pretty busy
street. When my Dad saw him, he asked “Where’s Mom?” I don’t know how Mike
responded but our Dad soon called our Mom and asked “Do you know where Mike
is?” She responded: “He’s in the backyard!” “Oh no, he’s not,” he replied! That
was most likely the start of Mike’s shenanigans!
Throughout our growing-up years, he was known for getting
stitches. Mike had more stitches in him than anyone I’ve known! Sadly, when we
were about five or six, he knelt on a sewing needle in our Mom’s sewing room.
His instant reaction was to jump up onto the couch. When my Mom responded to
his screams, all she saw was red thread coming out of his knee. Because Mike
moved his leg when he jumped, the needle broke within his knee. This required
immediate surgery. The doctors thought Mike would never walk again. Once he was
out of the cast, our Dad bought a child’s tractor that pulled a small trailer,
one that you operated with your legs. Our Dad felt that would make Mike move
his legs. It did! However, when the surgery was done, the doctors were only
able to get one piece of the needle out. They told my parents that one day,
with Mike’s growth and movement, the needle would move and he would let out a
shout, which happened on an Easter Sunday when we were all playing at my Aunt’s
and Uncle’s home. So, once again, he was rushed to the hospital for further
surgery. Because of the needle and the surgeries, Mike hated needles! I remember when we’d have to get our shots, Mike
would talk incessantly to the nurse to create any kind of delay. But, Mike did
walk again and really didn’t have trouble with his leg until he was beginning
to age. That was not the end of the stitches, however! I don’t recall how many
times he got stitches; but I do recall visiting our cousins one day and Mike
riding a bike, racing back home with a large leaf covering a bleeding gash on
his head!
Mike was one to try new things – he would put chains on
that little tractor or on his bike in order to continue to ride during the
winter months! He was very ambitious – he was out there, always, offering to
shovel someone’s walk or to cut their grass or to rake their lawn. His
interests were not related to schooling – he was more fascinated with people
and making connections. His adult ambitions related to entrepreneurial work –
he ran a Hallmark store in Clinton, IL and Scottsdale, AZ and later a wholesale
seafood store and lastly a carpet/tile cleaning service. Throughout his life,
he was on the go! He offered his services wherever he went, especially to his
church and to the needs of those impoverished.
Since we’ve recently talked about “our story” in previous
posts, his story was one of hard knocks, really hard knocks – he tried really
hard. There was an underlying thread, however, of loss, devastating loss – the
loss at a young age of our Dad, the loss of his marriage, the loss of a
business – pounding losses. I honestly think he worked himself to death – but
more recently, I think God called him home, knowing he had done what he came
here to do. Because of his deep losses, he tried, in his own way, to love, to
love deeply, but often he pushed people away, too – love too often involved a
lot of pain for him. I trust, with all my heart, God’s plan for him and know
that he is being healed where we all get healed, eventually.
Wherever you are,
Mike, I feel your presence and wish you God’s peace, serenity and love.
