Cecil Gene Shuck 5/18/38 - 9/12/11

Normally I am all about the funny but today is a very somber day. Yesterday, one of my best friend's father passed away and today is the first day of a family learning to deal with a tremendous loss.

Before I say any more, I want to tell you of the first time I met Gene Shuck. I had known Dusti for about 2 years at this point and had been out to her house countless times but it seemed her dad was always working during each visit. On this day though, as Dusti and I were hanging out and talking in the kitchen the door opened up and a stocky little man walked in with a confidence that blew me away. He was covered in dust and smelled of "money", as my grandpa used to call it, and he wore a hat that looked as though it were being held together by sweat and grit. But for all the grime that was just a part of his job, he also had a swagger that screamed of two things, confidence and pride. He was a man that any photographer would have given his left arm to capture because he was a real life COWBOY, crusty boots and all.

As his eyes adjusted to the dim light of the house, he finally caught sight of his wife, his daughter and me standing in the kitchen and a smile softened his face. He waltzed over and as he got closer I saw something that took my breath away completely. LOVE, as deep as the ocean, was shining in his eyes as he looked at his wife and youngest daughter and his joy in seeing them was a thing of pure beauty. The dirt disappeared from his demeanor and all that was left was the purity of a heart that was pleased to pieces with his life and his family.

THIS, my friends, is the man I came to know as my second father. A quiet, assured man who rarely yelled, but if he did it was for good reason. A man who worked hard and spent more time in a saddle than he did on his own two feet. A cowboy who loved the land and had a soft hand for his horse. A father who lead by example instead of needless boasting. A husband that took the time to whirl his blushing bride around the dance floor and spent long hours providing for his family. A father that was a moral beacon to his kids and his community. And a hero to all that came to know him.

Since then me and the Shuck clan have had countless memories together and the stories could fill an entire novel but I want to share one of my favorites. It was a nice sunny day in Mesa, Arizona. Not too hot and not too cold. The kind of weather that screamed for you to grab a chair and bask in the glorious sunlight. To those involved in this memory, I can feel the smile lighting your face already. Yes, this was the day that Gene Shuck decided he needed a tan!

At this point in his life, he had already retired from his work. The shakes his illness gave him had made him unsaddle his pony a few years prior and he spent his days walking around the house and watching TV. Not the life his restless mind could handle very well at all. He was constantly on the prowl for something to occupy his time and to give him a goal. Some goals were better than others for sure. This particular day he decided that his pail legs, that hadn't seem the outside of his worn and dusty jeans in 60+ years, needed to spend a little time in the sun.

He had already been wandering around with only his pants and boots on so it was a simple task to drop the jeans and yes, put the boots back on! And without further thought he stepped out into the back yard and sat down on the stone bench in the middle of the yard. A few minutes later, those of us in the house decided it was a nice day to go sit outside and chat for a few. So with our drinks in hand we stepped out onto the back patio to discover the sight.

At first I was speechless to say the least. I mean how many times are you expecting to see a weathered old cowboy in his tighty whities and boots just relaxed in the sun? But that shock quickly faded and I found myself chuckling uncontrollably. I guess this was not his first tanning session, just the first I got to sit in on, so Dusti and Mom were giving him a work over in the rules of decency. You see the back yard was shared by 6 houses and a few more that had a clear line of vision from upper floors and NO, there was not a privacy fence to speak of. It was a 3 foot tall chain link number that did NOTHING to spare the neighbors from the sight of Gene Shuck's glaringly white legs.

When they asked him what he was doing he did not seem embarrassed or disoriented at all. He simply stated that he was "Gettin a tan." And that's what he did. Of course, over the next couple of weeks they did manage to get him to wear shorts but by the end of the week that cowboy had the prettiest beige legs a diva could hope for. Of course his color did stop just below his knees though. Because, although we got him to wear shorts, we never did get him to take the boots off.

And THAT my friends, is my favorite story of Cecil Gene Shuck!

You know, I can't help but picturing him standing up there at the gates of heaven. His glory shining around him and a garment of pure white encasing his body. The pure glow of a place that honors the strong and faithful of god's servants. As he is invited to come forward, the gown lifts and moves with his confident steps and yes, peeking out from underneath are those weathered and scuffed boots!

I love you Dad! Rest in peace and we will see you soon enough.

Time to weed the garden....

Ten years ago this was a beginning not an end. The beginning of hundreds of thousands of families being torn apart by a brutal act that, while it claimed the lives of nearly 3000 people, also spread the diseased seeds of hatred to millions more. Some seeds grew fast while others have lain dormant until they received the right (or should I say wrong) encouragement to grow. But all have busted up the foundation of our sense of security with their roots.

I am not anti-war, anti-government or anti-muslim  but today I am definitely anti-hate! And today, I plan to take one of those seeds that have grown in my heart and pull it out; roots and all! Then I am going to use it to fuel a fire for change. I will use the light from that fire to illuminate truth instead of the lies that fertilize those seeds. And I will use the flame to light a fire under my ass when I grow complacent and forget to be vigilant in my gardening.

My name is Loreen Herman and I promise that I am going to support my country, love my soldiers, raise my children to appreciate freedom and promote understanding to all that meet me. Why? Because I am a child of god, I am an American, I am a supporter of democracy and I am the beginning of change.