Each Life That Touches Ours For Good

A friend to some, a brother to others, a beloved uncle to two of our grandchildren and a beloved son of our Heavenly Father went home this last weekend. He died of a broken heart, and left many broken hearts behind. Our sweet daughter-in-law, Noemi, lost her older brother, Israel, on Saturday. The Erickson's will remember him fondly. He followed Noemi to Utah a few years after she married our son. He wandered in and out of our family parties for years. Joining in our sometimes rackas conversations, eating bar-b-que, chicken, roast beef , just about any thing we threw his way. He would politely tell me, "no, you don't need to do that" when I would pack him a bag of leftovers, Then thank-me with his beautiful brown eyes when I insisted. I  loved it that he knew he was always welcome. At the Erickson house there is always room for one more. This song has always been one of my favorites, but I feel it a little more deeply tonight when I think of Israel and how he touched our lives...
Being on a mission when someone you care about leaves this earthly existence is a little bit of a challenge. Not because I could really "do" anything about it, but I know my sweet daughter-in -law is hurting, and I just would like to be there to hold her, and let her cry, to assure her that we won't forget him and that he will be missed by the Erickson Clan.