Messages from Big Jim

Big Jim Joined Us - Family Outing!

On March 18th I went to the Denver Home and Garden Show.  As I strolled through the beautiful gardens, I took pictures.  When I reviewed the pictures at home in a slideshow, some were clearly very dark.  One in particular caught my eye - although it was dark, there was a familiar orb in it. 

	I opened it in my PaintShop Pro 9 program and enhanced the image with the "One Step Photo Fix" feature.  Immediately I asked, "Daddy, is that you?"  To which I heard, in an unmistakable, laughing voice, "You were taking pictures..."
Click the image to view larger

~~~~~^O^ ~~~~~

On Friday, March 29, Fred rented a truck to take to Gypsum, Colorado.  Imagine my surprise when we were given a red one.  Actually it really isn't red, it is RED.  Yes, that's about the color.  Do you know how many red trucks Enterprise carries?  Not many...  Red is Big Jim's favorite color.  On the ride home after picking up the truck, Big Jim told me he hopes Fred likes the truck.  It is his way of letting him know he is with him, helping him to fulfill his full potential. 

Fred's first comment when I shared this with him was, "he (Big Jim) likes to go fast doesn't he?" 

Fred left for Gypsum early Saturday morning.  After watching the news, I called him to tell him the Eisenhower Tunnel was closed in one direction and traffic was being diverted to the other tunnel - one lane both directions.  He answered the phone telling me that he and Big Jim were sailing through the mountains in his really fast red truck.

While we were on the phone, traffic came to a stop due to back up at the tunnel.  Being a man on the interstate, Fred was disappointed in this.  I pointed out to him that it could be worse, he could be alone.  I suggested he take the opportunity of being stuck in traffic to breathe deeply and pick Big Jim's brain, after all, Big Jim sees the Bigger Picture of everything...

~~~~~^O^ ~~~~~

As humanoids we have to go about our days as if nothing happened.  As if we have not experienced a loss of a loved one to death of the physical body.  But love lives forever and our loved ones go with us - traveling with us throughout our day.  They do their best to show us they're still with us - every opportunity they get - in photographs at home, in photographs in public, by delivering to us a bright RED truck!

Acknowledge them.  And they'll keep "showing" you that they are still here!

~~~~~^O^ ~~~~~

This is Big Jim's Road King Harley Davidson.  I took this picture and several others the day of the funeral.  At first I thought something was on the lens of the camera - there is a white haze at the rear of the bike.  Then I noticed that they were only in the pictures I took of the bike and... the haze moved in each picture.  Daddy joined us in taking family photos of the bike.  The only retouching done to this image are at the front where I took out family members - and of course I cropped it so it would fit here.