Being a real estate agent sometimes allows one to interact deeply with the lives of others. Sometimes that interaction feels like a collision. Sometimes it is a deeply moving, almost spiritual experience. Such was the contact I had with Gordon and his wife. Gordon knew he was physically failing and during the course of our house shopping, his health became increasingly frail. I truly suffered with him as we walked different properties and struggled with taking shoes off and putting them on. Gordon was not the kind of person whose struggle was the emphasis of his life. He had been an artist and even though he no longer created physical artwork, his verbal descriptions made masterpieces in my mind. Several times I picked him up so we could meet his wife after work. In those times alone in the car, we talked about color and techniques and life. He never complained. The one time I was a few minutes late I apologized profusely and he replied that it had given him time to think about how he would paint the beautiful colors that were around him that day. This man, who was frail on the outside, was resilient and strong on the inside. He brightened my life with his wit, ("They call that art?" regarding a painting.) his love for his wife, and his strength. He and his wife bought a house from me. My commission was far greater than the dollars that were paid. This rose is for you, Gordon. I thought you'd like the beautiful colors and think about which brush and which tints you would use to paint it.
Thanks, Jay. He was indeed a great person. In a 4 page "brief summary" of Gordy's life, his son wrote: "The phrase 'a full life' seems to have been created just to be put to good use here today. Gordy . . . lead not only one of the fullest lives imaginable, but one of the most unique. His accomplishments and interests were so many and varied that he risked being seen as just a kind of eccentric 'character' to people who did not know him well. . . . In one of my last really coherent conversations with him I bemoaned the fact that I was about to turn 50 . . . His reply: 'But you can have so much FUN from 50 to 70!'" The Gordy his son described is the full version of the glimpse I saw when we were house shopping. I was indeed privileged to have known him.
Posted by: Bonnie Erickson | October 17, 2006 at 09:57 AM
What a wonderful tribute Bonnie. Gordon sounds like a great person and one we could all learn a lot from.
Posted by: Jay Thompson | October 16, 2006 at 01:20 PM