A man whose candle burned far brighter than my own said it first and best.
“I felt my heart strangely warmed.”
John Wesley’s ancient reflection so adequately expresses the way I felt today.
I attended the dedication of a granite marker and magnolia tree to
commemorate the life of a precious young lady named Apryl Foster; who
seemingly left us before her time.
“Almost home” sadly describes
where she found herself a year ago when she lost her life in a tragic
one vehicle accident. Surveillance footage showed Apryl pulling over to
assist a homeless person that evening; just prior to the accident. And
this restaurant trainer/server/vocalist was known to friends and
strangers, alike for her selflessness, and gift of service.
Her creed was,
“No one too insignificant or unimportant to help or encourage.”
Odd, the commonality of the human experience.
Molly, a selfless young cousin of mine who volunteered in an orphanage
for disabled children, and died in the great Haitian earthquake of 2010.
Another young relative who was involved in a one car accident, and
though years have passed, Juliana is still recovering. My own daughter
who was missing for the same length of time as Apryl. Only to be found
safe in the end. Another daughter, Mary, is mentally ill and borderline
retarded, and I have grieved the loss of a young life who received
something too much like a death sentence. To be fair, not exactly death.
But not exactly life either.
I was privileged to create an
online memorial page for Apryl shortly after the accident, and over the
past year have gained some understanding of, and appreciation for her
life; as the result of news reports, and my interaction with her mother,
Peggy.
I would be hard pressed to characterize Apryl’s life any better than one especially poignant paragraph in her obituary:
“Apryl will be remembered for her great sense of humor, her incredible
crafting and design abilities, her talented writing skills, and her
amazing vocal ability; described by one of her follower's as the “voice
of an angel.” But most of all for her radiant smile. Apryl will be
remembered for her love and compassion for others and her unwavering
allegiance to encourage and help those in need; those (individuals who
were fortunate enough to) cross the pathways of her life.”
As my
wife and I walked onto the restaurant property today, I immediately
noticed Apryl’s mother engaged in conversation with a couple of her
friends. To the left was a basket of (her favorite color) yellow
ribbons, and as each individual filed in, he or she pinned one to their
shirt or dress.
Jean and I had no sooner found a seat than Peggy
walked up to where we sat, greeted us, and asked if I was whom she
believed me to be. Then the effervescent woman hugged us both, and
welcomed us to the event. (I was frankly surprised that she had
apparently recognized me from a much younger picture on a media site).
The closest thing to a minor mishap occurred, just prior to the
dedication of the tree and marker, as a young lady sat down on one end
of an empty bench in front of us. And as the unoccupied side lifted off
the ground, and she prepared to “greet” the earth beneath her, I reached
out to steady the end closest to me. Thankfully, she regained her
balance, and managed to avoid what appeared to be an almost inevitable
assault on her dignity.
(A rather minor mishap in the scheme of
things, as I once organized a grave marking ceremony for my
Revolutionary War 3x great Grandfather, and contracted with a couple of
bagpipers to play “Amazing Grace.” Sadly, I can report that their
rendition of “Amazing Grace” was only amazing for our inability to
distinguish it from “Jingle Bells.”)
The marker and tree
dedication commenced, and it was poignant for both its brevity and
content. And as each of the individuals selected to participate shared
their memories of Apryl, my wife and I found ourselves wiping away
tears.
Mrs. Beman reminisced how that in the days following her
daughter’s passing, she found herself wondering why God had chosen to
take Apryl at the youthful age of 33; when so many others have been
granted long, though perhaps unproductive lives. And it occurred to
Peggy that Apryl’s work was simply …done.
And, in turn, it occurred to me that I had never heard the passing of a young person described in that exact manner before.
For after all, God has been faithful to remind us that,
“Before you ever took your first breath, I planned every day of your life.” (Psalm 139:16)
A childhood friend spoke of her love and respect for the dear young
lady. And as she concluded her teary reflection, Apryl’s dad stepped
forward and wrapped his right arm around her.
And with this, Rev. Beman proceeded to share some relevant considerations from the Old and New Testaments.
It seems Apryl had read the Book of Lamentations prior to her death,
and made her father aware of having done so. And with this, the good
minister reflected on Jeremiah’s well known text from that book of
scripture.
“The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For
His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your
faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23)
In trouble or peace, good or bad, sickness or health, life or death
… Great is His faithfulness
As Rev. Beman ended his remarks he quoted what has to be the most
succinct biblical description of the manner that any of us have been
afforded to approach a just and loving God.
“That if you will
confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus Christ, and believe in your heart
that God has raised Him from the dead, …you will be saved.” (Romans
10:9)
And with this, he encouraged his listeners to speak with
him privately, if anyone had taken the opportunity to receive Christ as
Savior.
As the ceremony concluded, a young lady sprinkled some of
Apryl’s rich Nebraska soil around the base of the young magnolia tree,
and her employers pulled a yellow cloth from the granite marker,
beneath.
Tree Planted
in Loving Memory of
APRYL FOSTER
Daughter, Friend, Colleague
Apryl's ashes had previously been sprinkled in the beautiful springs
near the waterfall at Water Works Park in Tampa Heights; adjacent to the
Ulele Restaurant where she was employed, and the tree and marker which
now commemorate her life.
And I think the final words of an
iconic movie bespeak well the site of her final resting place, and the
stone tribute which memorializes a life well-lived.
Eventually,
all things merge into one...
and a river runs through it.
The river was cut
by the world's great flood...
and runs over rocks
from the basement of time.
On some of the rocks
are timeless raindrops.
Under the rocks are the words...
and some of the words are hers.
By William McDonald, PhD. Copyright pending
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