Collin County Living Well Magazine September/October 2018 | Página 31

SPEAK YOUR MIND
M
y dad was, in one sense,
a man of few words. His
words were well chosen
and spoken with a tone
of confidence that literal-
ly dared you to challenge him. While
everyone might not agree with him
completely on a particular subject, it
was hard to say that he was totally
wrong because he whole-heartedly
believed in his position.
When my dad died in 1995, as a
family, we had no doubt what the ap-
propriate things to do were in plan-
ning his funeral and burial. His pro-
fessional demeanor and desire to be
well-dressed led us to select his best
dark colored suit, white shirt, and a
bold tie. His love of God and care and
concern for his friends and colleagues
made it right and fitting to hold his
funeral at his church. His planning in
advance and selecting the exact spot
near a beautiful, large magnolia tree
in the local cemetery where he and my
mother would ultimately be laid side
by side eliminated the need for discus-
sion regarding this final disposition.
As I sat in the pew, deep in my own
grief, I could not have been more
proud of my dad. The words spoken
by the pastor, a man who knew my
dad so well, recalled experiences
they had shared and words of encour-
agement and guidance that my dad
had offered during difficult times. The
song sung by the vocalist reflected
a life lived by serving others. Final-
ly, after the prayer at the cemetery,
the bright, blue, crisp December sky
swallowed up the colorful balloons
we all released with our personal
notes of “Good-Bye” attached. In
By Rick Allen
spite of how difficult and sad the that
occasion was for me and my family,
looking back, I now feel so happy
and proud that because we knew
our dad so well and understood his
attitudes, creating a meaningful and
appropriate tribute to his life came
naturally. While writing this article,
I have stopped on two occasions to
take phone calls from people who are
currently dealing with family members
who are terminally ill and near death.
Both families are just now beginning
their search for information about fu-
neral options and cost. Neither caller
had discussed the subject with their
family member who was ill, and un-
fortunately, “last minute” talks along
that line can be extremely difficult
and uncomfortable. So, as always,
be sure family members know where
you stand on important issues.
As I close this issue’s article, I would
like to offer a word of exceeding
thanks to all of our military men and
women who are courageously serving
our country around the world. Addi-
tionally, I want to thank all of those
who have previously served as well.
Our funeral home is a proud member
of the Veterans and Family Memo-
rial Care Network. We are still pri-
vately owned and family operated,
but as a member of this network we
have agreed to offer certain benefits
to qualifying veterans. To learn more
about the Veterans and Family Me-
morial Care, you can log on to www.
VeteransFuneralHomes.com or call our
funeral home and we can send you a
brochure. Finally, I would like to wish
each and every one of you a blessed
upcoming holiday season and all of
the best in the upcoming year.
Rick Allen is the owner of Allen Family Funeral Options. Visit their website at
www.affoplano.com or give them a call at 972-596-8200.
COLLIN COUNTY Living Well Magazine | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018
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