The days that used to dawdle have doubled to a sprint.
Could be what we see today tomorrow wont be there.
Our youthfull view of forever is coming to reality so bare.
Age keeps rolling on, numbers dwindle in our earthly stint.
Dad used to speak of lining up in human catching pens waiting for their name to be called.
No one thought seriously about such concept, living carefree life with little thought of end.
Fast forward to this past month in 2023 when farewelling an Ag College mate of over fifty years.
Farewelling processes of final day of earthly communication and humbling invitation, as family status, participating in his celebration of a full and community focussed life in the service of others.
Now that was hard enough but more a privelidge in reality.
I had already written two poems about and to Philip before the invitation to be a major particiopant of the the service process.
The first, a simple description of a bloke whose key life revolved around "Kindness"
‘NO WORRIES’
A man of no worries was Philip Hurse
Generous with his time and his purse
Cared about family cared about mates
Arrive at one’s door step, never hesitate
A lateral thinker far ahead of the crowd
Just gets on and does it, rarely ‘out loud’
Uniform of work shirt, stubbies, Bludstone boots
A face of determination adds to his looks
Of what he is doing, already made his plan
Before slow release for approval of the fam
Track ahead may be stalled by ‘closed today’
No worries mate, we will just try another way
That is just the way each Phil adventure starts
Not a dull moment if lucky enough to be a part.
Hamish Holcombe.
The second was far more difficult,
Philip Hurse is Godfather to our son Edward.
And will be so forever, until the end of time.
No ordinary Godfather, Philip was involved.
A Gentle Man with a Big Heart
“Life is not about how long you live
So much more about how you lived
Of how much effort you took to give”
Ed and Phil God Father and God Son
Two of the best, now together as one
Two good souls that have gone far too soon
Look up to the stars and look at the moon
Leave very good reasons to live life to extreme
With Jenny, Jessica Sarah an unbreakable team
A Philip with a single ‘L’ just like his beloved red
His word in trust was his bond, anything he said
Hamish Holcombe
By the time we had returned from two round trips to Victoria, it was revealled, two more of my junior teenage past from school days had passed through the gates of Gods catching pen.
Each funeral tells a story.
No ones story is everyones story.
There is one common theme in that each is a tale of life celebration and inspiration.
Leaving one with a clear message to live life to the full, in appreciation of what we have.
Tis far too late to be looking back.
Go forward mate is the only track.
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