Just one Hour......

One of the crazy things about life is it never stops. When we are hit with grief, we feel like our world has stopped and we feel like the entire world should stand still until we are done grieving. As great as that would be we know that will never happen, we will still reach goals and major things will happen. Things we wish we could talk to our loved ones about but unfortunately, we can’t due to them passing away. We all have that one person we would love to have just one more our with.  

Today I had a chance to interview Michael Stokes. Mike is an entrepreneur; he is a photographer and a music producer who is also amazing at playing bass. Mike also has a great love for sports. One he holds dear to his heart is baseball. In this interview we found out why he has such a great love for baseball. Mike is a big family-oriented person, and he is always sharing with me memories he had with different family members. It got to the point that we would sit in the room and ask each other questions about our loved ones.  

I asked Mike if you could get just one hour with a loved one who is no longer here, who would it be? And why?  

“If I could choose one person, it would have to be my Uncle Kelly. He was one of my favorite people for a bunch of reasons. We had a lot in common. We both liked baseball and music. We both liked reading, even though he was blind. I remember when I was young, we use to play “blind man bluff,” otherwise known as hide and seek.” 

What are some of the memories you have with him?  

“Some of my favorite memories are riding his Labrador retriever like a horse when I was small. It used to seem like I was flying or in a Western movie, all in the confines of the living room. My uncle would sit and laugh hearing my sister and I play. I used to love getting home from kindergarten and hearing him play the piano on the patio.” 

Is there anything he said to you that you still carry with you today? 

“My uncle loved poetry. He would walk around spewing Lanston heughs, or Jack Frost. He was the first person I heard tell me, see you later alligator. We would sit and talk about the bible and his favorite hymns a lot. He used to go to church every Sunday, he was a pastor.  

How do these memories affect your life today? 

“They remind me that people do not have to do much to have a significant impact on someone's life. It only takes a few moments. They remind me that everyone deserves a smile and a kind gesture. He reminded me that being the best person you can be, will produce the best people around you.  

When it comes to leaving your mark on the people you love, it is so important to make sure it is a positive one. It seems that Uncle Kelly and all the unique things he carried taught Michael a lot. Knowing Mike on a personal level I can honestly say I can see the impact this has had on his life. From understanding that everyone is different, and nothing is impossible just because you have a disability. To being patient and learning how to meet people where they are, if just one hour was granted, I think this would be an hour worth waiting for.