Tuesday, December 27, 2011
MJ and a Christmas Prayer....
I've sat down and tried to do a Blog post several times this month but every time I simply couldn't come up with the right words to say. Even as I type I'm still not sure I know where I'm going with this but I have a little free time this afternoon so I'm going to give it a shot.
MJ refers to our niece, Morgan Leigh Judd. We lost Morgan earlier this month and it's been difficult to think of anything but her since receiving the first phone call the night of Sunday, December 4. Morgan was a freshman at Wake Forest University where she was a member of the Dance Team. The previous afternoon Morgan danced at Wake's basketball game, didn't feel well so she went back to her campus residence. Shortly after midnight she called her younger brother Patrick to wish him a Happy Birthday and sometime later that morning, suffered a stroke. Efforts to save her, for a very short time, appeared to be promising but sadly she passed away early Tuesday morning, December 6. Morgan was 19 years old; she and her twin brother, Michael, were born just one week earlier than our daughter, Abbey.
I've struggled to make sense of her death. This was a young woman who was full of life, a beautifully gifted dancer, her smile could light up a room like none other and she was a friend to everyone she met. I would see Morgan at family functions, weekend trips to Hocking Hills and in 2006 we spent a week with her family in Lake Tahoe - in all the times I was in her presence I never once saw her get mad, be mean to another person or not do what she was asked to do. To put it simply, Morgan was a great kid.
She was also very generous and always willing to help others. When she got her drivers license following her 16th birthday, Morgan answered 'yes' to the question we're all asked when we receive license, "Would you like to indicate you're an organ and tissue donor?" and that would be her final act of kindness as she left this world - less than a day after her passing Morgan's vital organs saved five lives and countless others will benefit from her skin and tissue, as well.
And I guess that's the only way I can make sense of her death. I firmly believe there is a plan for all of us. We're all sent here to do our life's work and when we've completed those tasks, we're called to God's kingdom. For some, it takes many years while others are called far sooner than we'll ever be able to understand. Obviously, that's the case with Morgan. I truly believe her work on earth was to save those five lives. While our family was receiving phone calls filled with painfully sad news, five families who we don't even know were receiving phone calls filled with life and hope. Indeed, Morgan's last act of 'kindness' was heroic in every sense of the word.
One of the most powerful scenes I've ever seen in a movie was at the end of 'Saving Private Ryan'. We see a very old Private James Francis Ryan visiting the grave of Captain John Miller (played by Tom Hanks in the movie) who led the team to save Pvt. Ryan after his brothers had been killed in action. The old Private Ryan becomes very emotional as he recalls the sacrifices Captain Miller and his team made to save him and he says to his wife, "Tell me I have led a good life. Tell me I'm a good man.", to which she answers, "You are." Someday, I hope the people who received Morgan's vital organs all have the opportunity to learn about and 'get to know' the beautiful young woman who unselfishly saved their lives. And I pray that when they ask their loved ones to tell them they've led a good life the answer they receive will be, "You have." That would be the ultimate tribute to MJ.
I pray daily for Morgan's parents, Jerry and Leigh. I pray for her brothers - Michael, Connor and Patrick. I'm thankful that Erika Jones and her daughter, Aidan, have entered their lives and been so supportive through this time of tremendous loss. And I'm also thankful that we have such an amazing family that is always there whenever any of us need extra love and support. The true human spirit shows itself in times of great loss and need and what I've witnessed since the evening of Sunday, December 4 has been nothing short of miraculous. In a very powerful way, Morgan continues to do wonderful work here on earth. Her bell continues to ring and Heaven is a far more beautiful place as a result.
I'll end with the Christmas prayer which I prayed on mass on Christmas Eve...
"Thank you Lord for this beautiful Christmas season and the many gifts we receive throughout the year....the gift of family and friends, the gift of freedom, and the gift of good health, especially the health of Maya Collins. We thank you for our many safe travels as well as the people who have entered our lives this past year. And we pray for those we lost in 2011...for Sharon Judd, Morgan Judd and Vivvy Riestenberg...their absence this holiday season is a void which fills us all with great sorrow but we take comfort in knowing they have entered Your Heavenly kingdom and that they're smiling down on all of us and will continue to guide us through the difficult times. I continue to pray, as I do daily; for peace on earth, that love conquers hate and understanding fills all our hearts. As we've learned all too well, life is short and you never know what tomorrow may bring. I pray that we live every day to it's fullest, we always take the time to brighten someone elses day and that our lives will significantly impact our world, making it a better place than it was before we arrived. And when our time comes and we ask God if we led a good life He will simply answer, you have."
Merry Christmas to all and wishing you peace and blessings in 2012!
MJ refers to our niece, Morgan Leigh Judd. We lost Morgan earlier this month and it's been difficult to think of anything but her since receiving the first phone call the night of Sunday, December 4. Morgan was a freshman at Wake Forest University where she was a member of the Dance Team. The previous afternoon Morgan danced at Wake's basketball game, didn't feel well so she went back to her campus residence. Shortly after midnight she called her younger brother Patrick to wish him a Happy Birthday and sometime later that morning, suffered a stroke. Efforts to save her, for a very short time, appeared to be promising but sadly she passed away early Tuesday morning, December 6. Morgan was 19 years old; she and her twin brother, Michael, were born just one week earlier than our daughter, Abbey.
I've struggled to make sense of her death. This was a young woman who was full of life, a beautifully gifted dancer, her smile could light up a room like none other and she was a friend to everyone she met. I would see Morgan at family functions, weekend trips to Hocking Hills and in 2006 we spent a week with her family in Lake Tahoe - in all the times I was in her presence I never once saw her get mad, be mean to another person or not do what she was asked to do. To put it simply, Morgan was a great kid.
She was also very generous and always willing to help others. When she got her drivers license following her 16th birthday, Morgan answered 'yes' to the question we're all asked when we receive license, "Would you like to indicate you're an organ and tissue donor?" and that would be her final act of kindness as she left this world - less than a day after her passing Morgan's vital organs saved five lives and countless others will benefit from her skin and tissue, as well.
And I guess that's the only way I can make sense of her death. I firmly believe there is a plan for all of us. We're all sent here to do our life's work and when we've completed those tasks, we're called to God's kingdom. For some, it takes many years while others are called far sooner than we'll ever be able to understand. Obviously, that's the case with Morgan. I truly believe her work on earth was to save those five lives. While our family was receiving phone calls filled with painfully sad news, five families who we don't even know were receiving phone calls filled with life and hope. Indeed, Morgan's last act of 'kindness' was heroic in every sense of the word.
One of the most powerful scenes I've ever seen in a movie was at the end of 'Saving Private Ryan'. We see a very old Private James Francis Ryan visiting the grave of Captain John Miller (played by Tom Hanks in the movie) who led the team to save Pvt. Ryan after his brothers had been killed in action. The old Private Ryan becomes very emotional as he recalls the sacrifices Captain Miller and his team made to save him and he says to his wife, "Tell me I have led a good life. Tell me I'm a good man.", to which she answers, "You are." Someday, I hope the people who received Morgan's vital organs all have the opportunity to learn about and 'get to know' the beautiful young woman who unselfishly saved their lives. And I pray that when they ask their loved ones to tell them they've led a good life the answer they receive will be, "You have." That would be the ultimate tribute to MJ.
I pray daily for Morgan's parents, Jerry and Leigh. I pray for her brothers - Michael, Connor and Patrick. I'm thankful that Erika Jones and her daughter, Aidan, have entered their lives and been so supportive through this time of tremendous loss. And I'm also thankful that we have such an amazing family that is always there whenever any of us need extra love and support. The true human spirit shows itself in times of great loss and need and what I've witnessed since the evening of Sunday, December 4 has been nothing short of miraculous. In a very powerful way, Morgan continues to do wonderful work here on earth. Her bell continues to ring and Heaven is a far more beautiful place as a result.
I'll end with the Christmas prayer which I prayed on mass on Christmas Eve...
"Thank you Lord for this beautiful Christmas season and the many gifts we receive throughout the year....the gift of family and friends, the gift of freedom, and the gift of good health, especially the health of Maya Collins. We thank you for our many safe travels as well as the people who have entered our lives this past year. And we pray for those we lost in 2011...for Sharon Judd, Morgan Judd and Vivvy Riestenberg...their absence this holiday season is a void which fills us all with great sorrow but we take comfort in knowing they have entered Your Heavenly kingdom and that they're smiling down on all of us and will continue to guide us through the difficult times. I continue to pray, as I do daily; for peace on earth, that love conquers hate and understanding fills all our hearts. As we've learned all too well, life is short and you never know what tomorrow may bring. I pray that we live every day to it's fullest, we always take the time to brighten someone elses day and that our lives will significantly impact our world, making it a better place than it was before we arrived. And when our time comes and we ask God if we led a good life He will simply answer, you have."
Merry Christmas to all and wishing you peace and blessings in 2012!
