JMCKUSICK
JMCKUSICK's JournalGood morning my DU family,
As tragically sad as the loss of the Reiner's is this morning, I can't help but appreciate all the ways his family touched us and to be inspired by their commitment to a better humanity.
Please give us a day filled with opportunities to remember and practice kindness, compassion and equality towards everyone.
Love, John 
Good morning my DU family,
One of the reasons I love DU has always been Sunday mornings. Thank you to everyone who has continued or started their own tradition of meme posts after SCE passed.
What makes these Sundays so wonderful is that I for one, on these days, actively seek out these special posts as a day starter of the highest order.
Please give us a day filled with opportunities to choose the best kind of content with which to nourish our souls, choosing good, not gossip, choosing emotionally uplifting posts to bring smiles and joyous tears to our faces and of course, laughter, the very best medicine to that which ails us.
Please have a healing day, a day of choice, a day of beauty.
Love, John
Good morning my DU family,
Most of the time, when we do the right thing the right way, the reward is in the effort. It is those rare occasions when the results add an extra ingredient that make those moments memorable and special, like a heartfelt thank you or other expressions of gratitude or appreciation.
Please give us a day filled with opportunities to do the right thing, and yes, the opportunity to feel good about living those values every day.
Have a beautiful day!
Love, John 
Good morning my DU family,
Just remember that with the joy of enjoying a juicy perfect pear, comes the responsibility of cleaning up the mess from eating it.
Thank you Debm55.
Please give us a day filled with opportunities to experience the gift of joy at the hand of others, with any mess resulting being our delightful obligation to clean up.
Have a Great day!
Love, John 
Good morning my DU family,
One of the reasons pets are so therapeutically healthy for us is that we allow ourselves to experience them with the fascination, curiosity, and the wonderment of a child.
It is that ability and willingness that allows us to feel toward our pets a love and devotion that introduce us to unconditional love
Please give us a day filled with opportunities to feel that love for one another, with the same innocence that is normally reserved for our pets.
Let us make the very best of today with our gifts of love.
Have a love filled day!
Love, John
Good morning my DU family,
A shared burden builds respect and gratitude.
Please give us a day filled with opportunities to help each other, to share with each other, and ultimately, to get to know each other.
Have a beautiful day amongst each other.
Love, John
Good morning my DU family,
When I think of Reverence, I associate it with Awe, like awe with love attached to it.
I think of the ER doctor on duty back last March at Barnes-Jewish Hospital when my lung was surrounded by fluid and her almost saintly kindness with reverence. A sleeping baby or child give me feelings of reverence.
Please give us a day filled with opportunities to feel the most exhalted of feelings for another, in remembrance or in gratitude.
Love, John
Good morning my DU family,
We don't always need to have that Moment or Conversation in order to share why and how those nearest us matter so much, and how much we love them.
Please give us a day filled with opportunities to share with those around us what makes them special to us and to be grateful for them.
Have a gratitude filled day.
Love, John
Good morning my DU family,
It's not like we consciously choose the kind of day we're going to have every day right?
I mean imagine, taking a few minutes every start of our day to decide what kind we're going to have.
The very best part of choosing is that the answer is in the pondered sentence itself.
Please give us a day filled with opportunities to be kind, to be kind as a choice, to be kind as an offering, and to be kind as a matter of health.
Please choose what kind of day you're gonna bless others with today.
Love, John
It's time to say good bye,
I'm sorry I haven't posted much lately, been more like a curled up in a fetal position as I get reminded in so many ways, just how present Rory and I were in each other's day to day life.
Rory's funeral is set for Tuesday, the 9th. Even though I won't be going, please know that the following is what I'd want to say if I was there.
It's time to say goodbye Old Friend, but before I do, I have a few words to say in gratitude, humility and in Love.
I met Rory on 3-21-96 in Minneapolis as I began driving a taxi (again) and for the first time.
What I couldn't know that day, is that I was in the company of an Angel, or a Saint as our first encounter just involved me handing over my hard earned money to pay for my cab.
What I grew to learn was that I was in the company of a man from whom emanated kindness, decency, humility at every encounter.
Rory was a simple man, a man whose habits were such a subtle and yet powerful sign of his depth, faith, and heart.
His days were ones of routine, consistency, and the living of his core values in everything he did.
It's funny how incredibly different my relationship with Rory was compared to most of you.
I haven't mentioned that Rory was an Ordained Minister, had run immensely successful mission programs in Mexico and elsewhere, and was sought often for his wisdom, knowledge of the Bible and of course, counsel.
I haven't mentioned these things because I learned of them only in the last weeks of his life.
Rory was a minister, yet I never heard him preach. What he did do, with great success, was what he inspires me to do to this day. Rory lived in prayer.
He dreamt of simple things, trips he'd like to take to see someone or a national Park.
I never knew him to buy a lottery ticket, as Rory never took shortcuts or the easy way out. When his MS progressed beyond his current ability to navigate, he always grudgingly gave way to the cane, then the walker, then the chair, then the bed.
I never heard him complain, a man who had every right, every reason as his physical being was degenerating almost daily. He had a famous quote he ascribed to his situation that went like this: "My bad days six months ago are my good days now"
Imagine for a moment that this was your reality. "My bad days six months ago are my good days now."
Rory bravely faced every encounter he came across, adjusting in the moment to his ever changing limitations, all with a level of acceptance and serenity that were astounding and worthy of our admiration.
What's so truly remarkable is that all the things I didn't know about Rory, fit snuggly into who I knew, without conflict or contradiction.
Rory and I prayed together exactly twice in thirty years and yet he taught me how to pray.
Rory and I never really spoke of our struggles in those early years, and yet he helped me find myself.
I never saw Rory give a dollar to anyone, and yet he made me much more generous.
Rory and I never spoke much of Love, and yet he very much influenced what love is to me.
I never saw Rory provide medical attention to anyone, and yet I know he saved many lives, mine included.
You see, I've been an orphan my whole life, a true tumbleweed that is entirely at the mercy of wind and rain.
Rory, accepted me, befriended me, accompanied me, listened to me, and loved me. Just the way I was and am. That was his gift, a bottomless well of kindness, love, and the most amazing Grace that he had to give away.
Thank you Rory, for holding my hand these thirty years, and allowing me the honor to hold yours. Thank you for the countless memories, sports miracles and amazing comebacks,for the fact that you were always there and only God knows how many of your prayers for me He answered.Thank you being my best friend.
It is only appropriate that I end this conversation with Rory as we did all others, especially these last twenty years, most from long distance;
I love you Rory, Sleep well and please give my love to Maria.
Good night
Love, John
Profile Information
Name: JohnGender: Do not display
Hometown: Heidelberg
Home country: Germany
Current location: Vandalia, Il
Member since: Wed Feb 24, 2021, 12:57 AM
Number of posts: 4,845