Over the years, you meet
thousands of people. Some are only passing acquaintances. Others childhood
chums from school days you forget the moment you move the tassel from one side
to the other. You have neighborhood friends
you’ll never forget even if you never see them again once you move out of the
hood.
And then there are those you meet
who leave a mark on your life you never forget. All too often, they leave us
before we are ready. Today, the Ides of March, is the birthday of one such
person. Tom, happy birthday.
The Marstellers were new to our
church back in the 70s, or was it the late 60s? If you were a teenager in our
church at the time, they were a breath of fresh air. They became the meaning of
fellowship for us. Tom was a father figure to us. Louise, although many called
her mom, was more of a best girl friend who could keep your secrets. Tom, Jr.
was the teasing big brother I thought I was missing.
In a time when the world’s
morality was changing, Tom and Louise taught lessons from the bible that we
were able to relate to. I always
pictured Jesus as the ultimate hippie spreading love.
They were also my MYF (Methodist Youth
Fellowship) leaders. We’d spend a sleepless night at the Christian young center
downtown. Bowling, skating, telling stories and having a huge breakfast in the
morning. And the camping trips! I went on my only snipe hunt camping with them.
My first horseback ride was on a camping trip. Then there were the spaghetti
dinners, the coffee house on Friday nights and Vacation Bible School. Layman
Sundays each one of us was given a part to show our elders we knew rhe meaning
of fellowship.
Tom and Louise gave to us that
meaning of without any of us realizing it. Long after I grew older and had a
family of my own did I realize how very lucky I was to have them in my life as
a teenager. I also realized that time could never be recaptured. My daughter would
never experience it. That spark just wasn’t there.
Not long before Tom passed away,
I’d sent him a private message on facebook (how cool is it that Tom had a
facebook) telling him how much he and Louise meant to me.
I like to think I’m a better
person for having known them.
