Many, many tears this week. My Dad faced his death the way he lived his life—with dignity and pride. MICHAEL WINSTON LITVIN, 2nd November 1939 - 1st October 2014 Heres what I wrote and then read out at his funeral: ------ How do you sum up a life in a few words? The truth is you cant. My brother, Andy told me that the Rabbi asked him whats Dads legacy? And he replied, Us. His family. My Aunt Helena, Dads sister, said to me yesterday, He was such a gentleman, your dad. I looked up the dictionary definition of the word: A gentleman is a man of calm demeanor, strong preserve, intellectual thinking and polite yet meaningful speech. A well-mannered and considerate man with high standards of proper behavior. And thats it. Thats our Dad. A true gentleman. For the past seven years, Dad has been living with MSA (multiple systems atrophy). Its a cruel and unrelenting, degenerative condition. And I dont want it to define him. But it does illustrate the man he was. In all that time I never once heard Dad utter a single word of complaint. I never witnessed him be anything other than optimistic about the future. As a father who loved his kids, Dad would sometimes urge us to be cautious. But what Ive learned since becoming a parent myself is that children dont listen to what you SAY, they model themselves on who you BE. Dad taught us to BE optimistic because he was. He taught us to BE risk takers because he was. He taught us to BE constant learners yet healthy sceptics because he was. And he taught us to BE successful but to put family and relationships first because thats what he did. My favorite memory of Dad over the years, even as his condition left him weaker and weaker, was watching him reach out to hold Mums hand. He has so much love for Mum. Dad, you taught us that its better to regret the things we have done in life than to regret the things we havent done. So Ill leave you all with these words by Robert Frost: Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same, And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back. I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I- I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. ------ Ive never liked saying goodbye. The French have a far better word. They say au revoir. It literally means til we see you again. Dad, Youre a true gentleman. We love you. Au revoir.
Posted on: Sun, 05 Oct 2014 08:16:34 +0000
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