This post is about Scott, but let me say a quick word about Kate. Kate and Scott were and still are very close friends. I am blessed to say that Kate and I are still friends. She has been a constant, stable friend and support for me and I love her. Scott and I have lost touch, but I still hear about him via Kate.
Scott is a delight. At the time I met him he had quite a few years of sobriety under his belt. He was fun and he was insightful. I loved his sense of humor. One of the very best New Year's Eves I have ever spent was with Scott at an AA club. By this time I was single, as was he, and we decided to live it up. We put on our best threads and danced the night away. The man can dance! And, I must say of all of the people at that club on that New Year's Eve, we shone the brightest! It was a fun, fun night and a wonderful memory.
Scott's path led him to become a minister in the church of Science of the Mind. He and his wife, Lisa (also a minister) have a very successful church in the greater Milwaukee area. But, I am getting ahead of myself.
Very simply - one Monday night about ten years ago Scott had been pondering some issues. He sat at his computer, wrote his thoughts and sent them in email form to several people. This is the beginning of what was to become the Monday Night Musings. For approximately three years these musings would continue. I was fortunate enough to receive them. I passed them on to friends and family and so did other recipients and eventually Scott's musings had an audience of hundreds.
The musings were spiritually based, about Scott's journey through life and his journey with God.
To describe them I would say they came from his heart and were . . . hmmm, folksy, spiritually intended not quite sermons. Scott mused about everything and anything and the part God plays in everything and anything. He brought forth his good and bad sides - his humanism - wrapped up in current life events and events from his past. The musings were funny, they were sad, they were insightful and full of wisdom. Sometimes they were corny. (One even tells about how he learned to dance.) But, they were always great.
Scott met Lisa, his life changed, he got busier and the musings stopped. We all begged him to continue, but it was time for him to move on.
Last week I came home from work and there was a package in the mail from Milwaukee. I opened it up and there was a book. Suburban Mysticism - A Love Story. Scott's musings finally put into a book! Kate had sent it to me as a surprise. I was thrilled. I laughed and cried thinking about it and how one of Scott's dreams - of writing a book - had come to fruition. Scott reworked many of the musings just a little, organized them and put them together in a book form. YEA! I called Kate to thank her and she said she had purchased several at a book kick off and knew I would want one. Boy, she was right. And, Scott autographed it! Lucky me!
Reading the musings again - one or two every few days - reminds me of how much I miss Scott, how much the musings meant to me at the time they were written and how much they still enrich my life. And, they remind me of how much I have stepped away from working on my spiritual side, of my relationship with God. This book has been the kick in the pants (so to say) and has me thinking of what I need to do to improve my relationship with my higher power.
It is always rewarding to see a friend follow their heart and have success. Scott has had a very interesting life and he shares it with us in his book. As far as I can tell he is happy, he has found the love of his life and he is living his true calling. What more can any of us ask for?
Scott may not know it, but there is an old friend of his now in Georgia jumping up and down and saying, "I knew you could do it!" I wish him every happiness and joy and I hope he keeps writing. I am so proud of him. And, if I could say one thing to him, it would be (and I quote):
Play that funky music white boy
Play that funky music right
Play that funky music white boy
Lay down the boogie and play that funky music till you die*
Play that funky music right
Play that funky music white boy
Lay down the boogie and play that funky music till you die*
To learn more about the book (with a much better explanation of it) go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Suburban-Mysticism-A-Love-Story/dp/0615606563
To learn more about Scott and Lisa's church go to: http://www.rsgm.net/
* Song lyrics by Wild Cherry
