Reminded of What's Pertinent

October 12th, 2006 at 11:00pm B Jon Traylor 199

I made a quick trip to Dallas recently to attend the funeral of a close friend, to offer support to his family, his partner and his friends.  I drove it, and as usual, welcomed the windshield time as therapy.  The straight shot time on the road allowed me my needed time alone to think, to dream, to reflect, to humor myself and to plan strategies.

After a quick thirty minutes (a walk back down memory lane at Nolan Ryan's favorite advertised eatery...as well as one of my all time favorites), Whataburger, in the Highland Park area of Dallas, I headed to St. Thomas Episcopal Church.  After the next 4-5 hours, my return home trip, my time alone and my thoughts since then have been much less selfish and much more important... almost as thinking, "What is truly more important?"

Charles Michael Phillips had courage -- hopefully more than the rest of us will ever need to have.  My former co-workers in Dallas and Ft. Worth, and so many others were all astounded at the way he faced the beast of cancer and fought back at the terrifying experiences of chemotherapy, radiation treatments, pain, nausea, infection immuno-suppression, rejection disease, and tragically -- paraplegia.

What an amazing man Michael was!  We saw him come back from death's door not once, but twice in three years.  We marveled at his determined spirit as his devastated body fought through physical therapy to something as courageous as to take one more step, just one more time.

He was so incredibly charming, a clown full of wit and intoxicating humor and personality who made people fold over in laughter.  His sister Barb told a story at the reception of how when he was home from college once while she was in junior high school.  He crept into her room, closing the door behind him with great intrigue, and he asked her if should be interested in a little pot.

Wild-eyed and excited at the "coolness" of the moment, Barb looked at the door and glanced back at Michael as he reached into his pocket and, with that smile of his, presented Barb with, literally, a teeny tiny, well... pot!

Michael Phillips was also an amazingly profound thinker and philosopher.  From the journal he kept during his battle with cancer, this was written, five days after receiving his sister Barb's bone marrow:

"It is presumptious of me to claim great knowledge to give to anyone because of what is happening to me.  But when I look at people going on through their lives now, I am comfortable saying that I know a few things that are pertinent.  I may not be as old as some, not in years anyway, but I am far older than many in what I know now.  What brought me the greatest joy in life yesterday, in this hospital room, was being able to plan a path for me in life that has absolutely nothing to do with gaining position, status or power...  The purpose of reflecting on death is to make real change in the depths of your heart and to come to learn what has value, and what does not."

Charles Phillips died in Dallas, Texas from complications rising from treatments for muliple myeloma, a hematological cancer.  He left lasting marks on society, both professionally and personally.  He touched the lives of hundreds, if not many more.

His spirit, courage, humor and profound wisdom has touched me.  In my times alone, in my thoughts, I will remember his words.  Perhaps we all should.  Maybe we should spend more time planning a path in life that has absolutely nothing to do with gaining  status, position or power.  I think we all know that the true joys in life essentially have nothing to do with any of the three.  Perhaps we do not always stop to remember this. 

I know I have not.  Thank you, Michael.

-- B. Jon Traylor, Carbondale, CO.

Entry Filed under: Fly Fishing, Environment, Politics, El Jebel, Education, Family, Colorado, Pitkin County, Garfield County