Just Don’t Get It.
I have spent the last 5 or so days trying to understand why I am so sad about the death of Tim Russert. I was finishing lunch and watching the news last Friday when I saw a flash of something about Tim Russert. It took a few seconds for my mind to comprehend what my eyes were telling it - Tim Russert dead?! No way! He’s too young.
I flipped from cable news over to NBC just in time to catch the tail end of Tom Brokaw’s sad annoucement. I think it was in that moment that I first realized the size of this tragedy. I grew up watching Tom Brokaw on the news every night - never had he looked like this. His eyes were swollen and so red - It was almost unbelieveable. My mouth was hanging open though, and I was still trying to process.
Now there are two things I don’t get here. One…….why and how could he have died so young - and just dropped dead, nonetheless? Two……why have I been just SO SAD about this? True, I ALWAYS loved hearing Tim on the Today show, or watching him those few quick moments on Sundays before we had to head to church (it was always Meet the Press - that’s the only option on Sundays). And, I totally remember that “Florida, Florida, Florida” moment :) If you know me, you know that I am a news junkie, and I tend to get attached to my anchors. Moving to California was partially because of medical school, but largely an effort to get back to a market where Paul Magers reads the news. (I was devastated when he left Minnesota!) So, call me wierd, but that’s just how I am. And I guess if you think of it that way, it makes a little sense that I would be saddened by Tim’s passing.
The wierd think about this though, is that I was not SAD at first - I was shocked, but not sad. Yet it took less than 10 minutes of listening to the commentators’ broken-hearted comments about Tim, and the tragedy of this loss, for a deep sense of sadness to set into my heart.
By Sunday night, trying to watch our Tivo’ed version of this week’s MTP with the empty chair, I was trying to fight back tears. By Wednesday’s nationally televised Memorial Service, I wasn’t even trying anymore! I had to turn it off to watch at another time, when I am less sad over this loss, our country’s loss.
Last night, Bjorn & I marvelled at the circumstances of his funeral - It was crazy! Every politician, journalist and commentator you can find - plus McCain & Obama embracing - are you KIDDING me? This thing was like a state funeral! Presidents don’t get that sort of reception when they pass!
So leave it to my wiser-than-me hubby to help me understand…..first, that I was not crazy for feeling emotion over the loss of someone I have never even met…..and second, for making sense out of the tragedy. Bjorn reminded me, the reason we are so sad, is because of the legacy that Tim leaves behind - and that legacy reaches so far beyond politics, into our very hearts. EVERY SINGLE ONE of the journalists, politicians, musicians & others who eulogized this man, offically or unofficially, spoke of his love for his family as being FIRST and FOREMOST in his life. Well, not even - Faith was first, and that rang loud and clear in the last five days as well. They told us that his son was the most important thing in the world to him. That he spoke of Luke constantly. That everytime a colleague had a child or lost a parent, Tim was on the phone or writing a card. That he loved to throw back a beer with his son’s college friends - in his son’s words, “even more than he wanted to attend a state dinner” ! That he consistently & repeatedly over time, reminded colleagues & subordinates that family is THE MOST important thing (along with faith). That he wrote two books about FAMILY not politics. Bestsellers, too by the way.
One of my friends became a fan of Tim Russert on Facebook - so of course I had to click on the page (and become a fan 
). I was sitting here tonight, feeling kinda melancholy about life for some reason (unrelated to Tim this time) - and started reading through the comments Tim’s Facebook fans had posted. My tears started rolling again. This is truly an amazing man we have lost. We will miss his voice on Sunday mornings, and oh man, how will we ever understand the election this year without him….. But we have the legacy. The legacy that can make an impact on individual lives and cause the country take a collective pause to re-evaluate what is important in life. This is some of what I read on Facebook:
* “Mr. Russert’s death has helped me to grieve my father’s death after almost three years. ”
* “When men are so desperately needed to take the leadership role in their families, Mr. Russert was a fine example of what it meant to be a real man.”
* “Tim Russert was the only reason I understood anything about politics.”
* “Tim was such a breath of fresh air in a world full of depressing news nowadays….we miss you already, Tim. Thanks for so many years of educating the American voter so that we may make the right decisions to keep this country moving in the direction that it should……Forward.”
* “Rest in peace. Job well done.”
Maybe feeling sad that this guy has moved on is not the craziest thing after all. RIP Tim.
Four Years and One Day
Yesterday my sweet hubby and I celebrated four years of marriage. Whoo hoo! In the scheme of things, I guess 4 years isn’t that long (wow, I TOTALLY take that back as we sit in year 3 of 4 nightmarish years of medical school), but lots has happened. Some good, some bad, ALL worth it. I love you baby!
One of the things that we did to celebrate (here is where you know we are poor med students - yes, this truly was the highlight of our anniversary) was get some new bedding, which we desperately needed. See, this is before:
And this is after:
Yeah! it actually looks like a grown up bedroom!!!!!
After all the washing of sheets & re-doing the bed with the new stuff, we went out for a fab dinner at one of our favorite (yet seldom frequented) Mexican restaurants here in So Cal - Las Campanas, at the Mission Inn. mmmmm. Enchilada heaven!
So, even though there is no budget for Anniversary presents this year, I could really care less. My present is having the privilege of spending 4 amazing years with the love of my life! And I don’t even care how cheesy that sounds.
