Moments to Treasure

February 1, 2021
by johnr66
1 Comment

My Dad, Remembered

My dad, Virgil Rehg, passed away on January 18, 2021 at the age of 94. He was a great and humble man, softened by Mom, quiet, and yet showed his support for us in ways that did not shout from the rooftops.

Dad and Mom on the front porch swing in Dayton, Ohio.

Teacher and Artist

Dad was a teacher, and I remember one of the perks he shared with us. He did some teaching for Ohio State University, and we were able to attend OSU football games. We watched Rex Kern beat Michigan in 1968. That was the year they went undefeated and were crowned national champions. It was fun to be a part of that college atmosphere, as I was just entering high school.

Dad loved math, but said that no matter what we did, even if it was digging ditches, if that’s what we were happy doing, he would support us. He taught me to work on my own cars and to build things with wood. In his later years he focused on art, doing sculpture after his woodworking days were over. He built a large kitchen table (there were 7 kids) that is still used by one of my siblings. His many end tables are now distributed among the family. He also had an affinity for religious art, building works that reflected on the gospels and what they meant to him. He wanted one to view the artwork as a question about what the viewer believed.

His Last Days

We were fortunate, during these restrictive times, to have been able to spend his last days with him in some way. While limited to two people visiting for two hours a day once he was admitted to the hospital, we were able to communicate via FaceTime with him the last 3 days of his life. They said he could hear us, even if he couldn’t respond, and so it was a blessing to have my brothers and sisters in to talk to him and pray out loud so he could follow along in his mind. I’m grateful that he moved on 3 days after being admitted, his suffering kept short.

Dad was a remarkable man, a virtuous man, and a kind and gentle human being. I can see how he grew during his life, from his experiences raising 7 children. You can read one of his obituaries here.

Thank you, Dad, for all you’ve taught me.

John

December 22, 2019
by johnr66
0 comments

In Loving Memory

Dyan
1979 – 2019

As the year comes to a close I remember those that have taken the last exit. Dyan was my eldest daughter. She moved on after a year-long bought with cancer. I miss her, and think of her every day.

Your first born is special in a way that no other child is. As the one that introduces you to parenthood, they suffer the most from your learning experience, and Dyan taught me a lot about being a father. She taught me patience, to allow her to grow in the way she wanted; acceptance, in loving her for who she was, and that love, even when it seemed to be broken, lived much deeper than the surface.

I didn’t get to see her much as she grew older and followed her path, a path filled with animals. They were her first love, and I witnessed this directly with Jenga, her first dog. Her attention and training took a bright lab mix to a very intelligent and obedient canine.

She loved horses, and kept them until a month or so before she died. When I talked with someone who knew her well and worked with her at one of the stables she worked, I found that there was nothing she wanted to do more than be around horses.

The last six months of her life were the most precious to me as I spent more time with her, helping her by massaging her ankles, bringing her food (which my wife cooked) and smoothies, and just sitting with her. I didn’t have to say much. I listened to her when she talked, or kept a hand on her arm or leg. Gave her ice water when she needed it or just sat in the room with her watching tv.

I don’t pretend that her leaving had the same impact on me as it did others who were more involved in her life, who had bigger voids to fill than I will. And as much as you can rationalize it in your head, the loss still hurts and brings sadness. But I don’t dwell on what could have been. I focus on what was, in the end, a great re-connection with my child.

No matter how old they become, how much they grow up, they are still our children, and the love we felt for them when they first introduced themselves to the world with a little cry, only grows stronger over the years. A love that grows without regard to how frequently we see them. A love filled with joy at all their joys and accomplishments. A love that grieves with all their sadness and grief.

I loved you every day of your life, and continue to love you forever.

Dad

August 17, 2015
by johnr66
0 comments

Moments Disturbed

It seems over the past year that here in the U.S. we are experiencing more disturbing moments that wonderful moments. I wonder if that’s a function of the need to push fear and outrage to the masses. It leaves no room for thoughtful reflection, only for spontaneous and unexamined outbursts against whatever slight we perceive affects us.

So many examples, from all the police shootings of unarmed citizens (mostly African American – at least from a publicized perspective), to the random violence in movie theaters and other public places. Makes one want to hole up in their house, order in, and bunker down.

But this won’t solve anything. It will only enslave you to paranoia. It will paralyze you, killing any action you might have taken.

When I reflected on the events with an attempt to be non-judgmental and objective, I keep returning to the same two-fold theme. That is, one, regarding the noise and wailing of police brutality and racism, that there is some level of over-response taken on the part of authority, I don’t know how many incidents involved white people – they don’t seem to be reported. But of the ones reported, there seems to be an escalation of violence that may not be warranted.

However, on the other hand, when reviewing the analysis of the incident (which itself may be biased), it appears that the victims are not entirely blameless. Their actions appear to be aggressive, or otherwise inciting in a way that most people who know them wouldn’t expect. Why is this? My guess is when they were around friends they were friendly and outgoing, fun and peaceful. When confronted with authority, they reacted in an alpha manner, challenging that authority.

Perception is the Heart of Action

Why this difference in behavior in different situations? I think it comes from how one perceives the people he or she is dealing with, and that perception guides their actions. Take, for example, the recent Ferguson activity (Aug 2015), where demonstrators were involved with a person attempting to drive past them or through them.

One headline said the activists were arrested when someone plowed into them with their car. How inciting is that? And biased? And wrong. If I plowed into someone with my car, there’s no way they were going to be able to do anything more than pick themselves up off the ground (if their legs weren’t broken), or less (if I had killed them). Instead, they kicked the car (implying no plowing but possibly gently nudging them to move).

It made me wonder how poorly cars were made these days if kicking one could inflict $5000 worth of damage. On an old car it would have just gotten you a bruised or broken toe. But besides that, it appears that too quickly we take sides, and the rule of law (at least in the courtroom) goes out the window. That is, you’re no longer innocent until proven guilty, you’re guilty by committee without any way to present your side where the other side will listen.

No One is Listening

No one is listening anymore. From a quote I recently read, they are listening to say what they want to say, not listening to hear what the other is saying. And this goes further, into politics as well. But I won’t go into that!

All it takes is to listen with an open mind, understand the other person, before responding. It doesn’t mean you have to agree, only that you understand what their position is, and where it comes from. And that could, in many cases, mean that you realize you will not be able to reason with them (when they spout obvious lies), and it might be better to just walk away.

December 9, 2013
by John
0 comments

Mandela and Idols

A great man passed away this week – Nelson Mandela.

Mandela and Idols

Many people spoke highly of him, and had a more intimate knowledge of the man than I did. I hope those who shout against his honor come to realize that no one is perfect (not even saints), but are called to do something that others are not. I think he was one of those called to be a great leader, and demonstrated that with that calling comes great personal sacrifice.

I sometimes wonder when people build statues to those they idolize, if they are cognizant of what was said in the bible regarding golden images. (Though admittedly most of these might be bronze or concrete.)

Still, it is a day to mourn as another person moves on to meet their maker.

So often we forget what others sacrifice to make this world a better place, be they struggling for human rights, fair wages, the end of mistreatment. It all boils down to dignity. If we are willing to accept the basic dignity of every human being, then we begin to move in the proper direction.

Mandela’s life was truly filled with moments to treasure, and I’m thankful to have watched some of his history unfold.

November 28, 2013
by John
0 comments

Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving!

One word that imparts such meaning and attitude. Thanks. Giving. Rearrange it anyway you like – it’s still good. Give thanks. Give. Thank.

There are many people who come up with things to be grateful for, but today I’m going to link to an unlikely source – Geoffrey James on Inc.com. Why? Because I think if you are open you can find inspiration in the most unlikely places. I found this sales guy to be down-to-earth and focused on what really makes a difference. I never expected that from here.

So if you haven’t said it in a while, today is a good day to start – telling others how grateful you are for their being in your life. You won’t always have that opportunity.

I thank everyone in my family, my parents, my brothers and sisters, my children, my grandchildren, my grandparents, and those they know or knew, who touched my life as well.

And to all of you who read this, thank you!

John

p.s. – I’ve added a couple of links at the bottom of some other sites, Christian and Buddhist, that share positive messages.

November 24, 2013
by John
1 Comment

Moments to Treasure up and running!

Hi!

I’m happy to announce that the website, Moments to Treasure, is now up and running in conjunction with the release of the book:

Moments to Treasure

Prayers for Navigating Life’s Journey

The book is available as a FREE Kindle download from 11/24-11/28-2013. (Sunday through Thursday) It does not include any pictures. If you buy the paperback, you can download the Kindle version for free (even when it’s not on promotion). Available on Amazon, and the paperback is also available on CreateSpace. Additional information and offers are on the publisher, Soul Attitude Press, website.

I’ve created this site to allow people to come to a place where inspiration, hope, and gratitude visit often and serve comforting words and actions to those in need. I am grateful for all the outpouring of love and support as my granddaughter progresses through treatment for Wilms tumor. She is such a brave and courageous young girl.

Do you have something to share? Please comment below. I’m also open to having others guest post on the site. Let me know if you’d like to share a post.

Thanks!

John