Spring has “sprung” in many places, the little saplings may be forming underneath the snow … if that’s where you are. The days are moving and months are going by …. we are almost at the end of March 2013. How are those New Year’s Resolutions doing? I’ve got a couple under way pretty well and one more needs a push, so to speak. “Everybody loves the sunshine …” … just ask the Spring Breakers down here in SoFlo! One of my buddies out of New York who’s been living here with his wife and their youngest child – daughter, Rashida – called me yesterday from “Peace in the Park” at Hollywood’s (Florida) Young Circle. I was on my way back from the “Celebration of Life” for my long time friend who passed away from ALS a couple weeks ago when he called. He said it was really nice, so, a hat’s off to my spiritual friends from the Brahma Kumaris Spiritual World University for making that happen, too!
Well, the service held yesterday at the Renaissance Hotel in Plantation, FL was “awesome”! Peter’s sister, Christy, really orchestrated a wonderful event for us all to attend … and participate in. The Rabbi conducted the service with various prayers and chants in Hebrew, he spoke about Peter’s life, his family, his hard work ethic as well as the incredible disease that sucked the life out of a once vibrant, strapping athlete, father and husband, son and employee. Peace be still. At the podium was a great photograph of Peter, which captured the resilience that he displayed in merely his facial expression as well as an urn with his ashes. The immediate family sat in the first two rows on the right hand side, and close friends like myself joined in the festivities in the rows following while the event room’s other side was filled with clients, co-workers, friends of FMS Bonds and others who were invited by the aforementioned.
When the Rabbi had finished with his prayers and songs done acapella in Hebrew, he invited his son Jordan up first to say a few words. Now, this young lad is just in his early twenties so he was a bit overwhelmed, yet, did well expressing how his dad “always had my back”! Jordan is Peter’s only son. Then he invited Howie Weintraub, long time friend and co-athlete with “Zach” and I from junior high school football in White Plains; Richard Kozi (?) his roommate from University of Maryland and co-football player on that team; the owner of FMS Bonds, Jimmy Klotz; and me up one by one to say a few words. I had prepared something early yesterday morning during my hour of meditation but didn’t write it down . . . I stuck it in my heart . . . next to the place that my boy “Petey” occupies. It flowed well when my time came to speak.
What can we do when we lose someone we love? My suggestion to everyone there was that we keep him in our hearts … very simple … it lessens the longing for them and provides them with a permanent place in our lives … spiritually. So … uh … I’m kind of getting choked up now so I’m gonna go now. Sending eternal love to you, Petey, and all your family and friends … forever and ever …
Namaste my friend … namaste!
John I. Cook
, Director
Educational Excellence 