A full life

An empty life is not caused by giving it all away. An empty life is caused by keeping it all.

A full life comes from giving it all away.

We have all been to lots of funerals. Too many, and unfortunately, too many more to come.

You get a clear sense of a person by their funeral. Not so much by the official ceremony as by the feeling among the people and how they speak of the deceased.

I had the honor of working for a special company for many years. It was special because of the people that worked there.

One of the most special was Hugh Bray. Hugh was a man in full. Big in stature. Big in accomplishments. Big in joy.

Hugh was also afflicted with ALS, commonly referred to as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease”. Hugh was one of, if not THE, longest living survivors of the disease.

But to be around Hugh, you would never know he had an ailment. Hugh was too busy wanting to know how he could help YOU. Be it business or personal, Hugh was there for you. In full. Not part of him. All of him.

And Hugh was busy giving himself to the United Way, his grandkids, his charities, his church, his family, his friends.

I wasn’t able to attend Hugh’s funeral that took place on January 6. I am still feeling the love and awe that radiated from this man’s passing a month later. The attendees can’t put it in words. They just know their lives are better for having known this man. And, they see how many others he touched.

I want “Hugh Bray’s Disease”. The one that causes us to give it all away.