A Life Well Lived

Three weeks ago, I made a quick trip to London, Ontario to visit Frank Morris, a 95-year-old man who has been both a friend and mentor to me for the past decade. He had been moved from his home to an assisted living facility.
During the drive to Canada, I thought about this man who had been such an  encouragement to me and to others, now suffering from dementia. “Will he know who I am?” I thought to myself. “Will we be able to have meaningful conversation, as we used to?”
These thoughts continued as a nurse led me down the hall to his room. I knocked lightly, as I entered the softly lit room. There on the bed was the frail form of my dear friend, a bit confused, but smiling nonetheless. “Hi, Frank,” I said, doubting that he would recognize me. “Well, hello, Tyler,” he said, as if he had been expecting me.
I was overjoyed.
Throughout our hour-long visit, very little was said. He told me, several times, that he was confused about where he was. Each time, his wife gently reminded him that he was in a good place where he was being taken care of very well.
As I sat there, thumbing through a book of old photographs–sepia tone glimpses into Frank’s past–my mind traveled to the wise pieces of advice he had shared with me throughout the years. “Humility is one of the greatest character traits one can have…” “Never let intellectualism snuff out your love for the Lord…” “Throughout your life, you will have many successes and ‘also-rans’. Take them all in stride and thank God for all of them…” The words echoed in my mind.

“Frank,” I said to him, “do you ever think about Heaven?”

His eyes were closed, but he gave a resolute nod. Yes.

“Are you ready to go?”

“Yes.”

“Is there anyone there you want to see?”

At this, he looked at me with a big smile. “Yes!” he said.
Before I left, we took a couple of pictures of the two of us, and one of he and his wife. I gave Frank a hug, knowing it would be the last I would give him this side of Heaven.

“Frank,” I said, “I’m not going to see you for a little while. But I will see you again later. Alright?”

​“Ok, Tyler. Ok,” he said.
Six days later, I received a message from a mutual friend: “Frank passed away this morning.”
Even though I have the promise of God’s Word that those who have trusted in Christ as their Savior are with the Lord, I cried and cried, feeling a void–one less good man on the earth. No more phone calls. No more time-tested wisdom. No more letters encouraging me to stay close to Christ and His Word.
But I am thankful. I am thankful I had the opportunity to say “See you later”. I am thankful that Frank’s funeral service was exactly what he would have wanted—a time of worship to the Lord. I am thankful that I had the opportunity to meet the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren he cared so much for. Most importantly, however, I am thankful for the example of a life well lived, because it was lived for Jesus Christ.