Doing What is Right

Although I am not a Catholic, I was hugged by a priest this morning and it felt wonderful.

My day hasn't gone as planned. I finished my morning coffee, read the newspaper, and was checking my e-mail when I opened a notice from the editor of our neighborhood newsletter. It stated that a former neighbor, John McNalley, had died. It was 9:40 a.m. and the funeral was at 10:30.

I didn't know John McNalley very well. I met his wife, Ann, when she joined Southern Colours shortly after Father Paddy gave his permission for us to paint at St. Stephen on Fridays. He asked us to invite members of their church who might be interested. The only person interested was Ann McNalley. Ann and I subsequently discovered that we live in the same neighborhood. She was part of Southern Colours for a short time and then she gave it up.

The McNalleys sold their home last fall and moved into an assisted living facility. We hadn't talked for a while until Ann called me for advice concerning the art supplies she would no longer have room for. She wanted to donate them to a worthy cause.

Many thoughts went through my mind as I sat there reading about Ann's husband; age 85, a graduate of the University of South Carolina and Georgia Tech, a gunnery officer in the Navy during WWII, married to Ann since 1949, five children, many grandchildren, and founder of a Catholic church. Ann had just lost her husband of 59 years.

My first thought was that I really should go to the funeral. My second thought was that I didn't have time to get ready. My hair was a mess and I hadn't showered. My third thought was that Ann wouldn't care what I looked like. My fourth thought was that I hope none of my friends will miss my funeral for such superficial reasons.

I raced upstairs, threw on a decent outfit, went to John's funeral, gave Ann a hug, and met their children. And then Father Paddy gave me a hug. It felt just like the hug I would have gotten from my parents if they were here to see that, this morning, I did what they taught me to do. They taught me that there are times when we should do what is right rather than what is convenient. It felt wonderful.