A Service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving

Last Saturday my family gathered to remember and give thanks for my grandfather's life.  There were some really special parts to the service that I wanted to highlight for my own remembrance.  Parts of the service were very religious, more for those of us here on earth because my grandfather was not a religious man, even in his last days.  After a hymn and a prayer, my Uncle David read "Sea Fever" by John Masefield.

Sea Fever

I MUST go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky, And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by, And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking, And a gray mist on the sea's face, and a gray dawn breaking. I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied; And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying, And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying. I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life, To the gull's way and the whale's way, where the wind's like a whetted knife; And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover, And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.John Masefield

There were then several personal remembrances, first from a colleague at UNC who remembered my grandfather as an educator who started the first modern Middle East and Islamic Studies class at UNC that blossomed into a department, even before Arabic was taught at the University.  Islamic Studies is now a major degree at UNC.  Poppa was also instrumental in editing primary documents and creating visuals and materials for teachers to use in their classrooms when teaching about the Middle East.  I'm going to see how much of that I can get my hands on.  Virginia Carson, director of the Campus Y then spoke, as an undergrad student who had known my grandfather, and then became a staff member while my grandfather was on the Board.  My cousins Lindsay and Trevor discussed some memories of us grandkids, most often mentioned was being picked up by the ears.  Then my mom spoke about his optimistic spirit, his woodworking skills and some of here memories, before my Uncle Whit spoke.  I wrote down the following:

-Be clever but skilled, be creative, love to learn and learn to sail.

-We cannot change the direction of the wind, but we can adjust our sails.

-It's not what we remember from the past that is important, it's what we take from it to apply to the future.

-My grandfather's favorite Qur'an verse: Your Lord is the one who drives for you the ship upon the sea, that you may seek his bountiful goodness. (From "The Journey by Night")

And then we sang "Eternal Father, Strong to Save" the Navy Hymn, very appropriate for a seaman who is sailing to his next home.

Eternal Father, Strong to save,
Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
Who bid'st the mighty Ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep;
O hear us when we cry to thee,
for those in peril on the sea.

O Christ! Whose voice the waters heard
And hushed their raging at Thy word,
Who walked'st on the foaming deep,
and calm amidst its rage didst sleep;
Oh hear us when we cry to Thee
For those in peril on the sea!

Most Holy spirit! Who didst brood
Upon the chaos dark and rude,
And bid its angry tumult cease,
And give, for wild confusion, peace;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee
For those in peril on the sea!

O Trinity of love and power!
Our brethren shield in danger's hour;
From rock and tempest, fire and foe,
Protect them wheresoe'er they go;
Thus evermore shall rise to Thee,
Glad hymns of praise from land and sea.