This weekend services were held for PAPA. It was, of course, quite sad but a beautiful and respectful send off. Growing up, my experiences of services were limited to Memorial Services. The body was not present and the service itself was a bit less formal. The T/P/K family is predominantly Catholic and so this was my first real experience with a wake. I'm sure I could Google, I just haven't yet, but I'm wondering about the term wake. It just seems like a counter intuitive name.
At any rate, at the wake I met even more people who loved and admired PAPA and learned that as an assistant Scout Master with the Boy Scouts of America, PAPA belonged to the Order of the Arrow and received the Vigil Honor. For more about that honor, see the page offered by the scouts.http://www.oa-bsa.org/misc/anr/vigilhonor.htm
Essentially, being in the order is an honor and then those who serve exceptionally and selflessly can be nominated for the national recognition. While I only knew PAPA a short time, after his scouting says, it was so great to hear of PAPA's love and dedication to scouting for nearly 50 years. It was clear that he was purposeful and inspired in his service.
It is my intention to be as purposeful and inspired in my service to our community/society/world. I thank PAPA for his beautiful example and as Alissia and I continue to work with people (albeit in a slightly different manner than PAPA) we look forward to continuing his legacy.
Finding freedom in choices, balance and FUN. Breaking a few rules to things the way that my heart tells me (but nothing illegal!) and sharing the honest journey of a soul that wants to make the world a better place starting with myself.
He sounds like he was a wonderful man. I was also in the Order of the Arrow when I was a scout. The Vigil is a hard honor to achieve. He must have done a lot to deserve it.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry for your loss. Sounds like the services gave you an opportunity to learn even more about Papa.
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