John,
I have been thinking about you a lot recently and I suppose that isn't much of a shock to you. I decided that I wanted to write you a letter because there are a million things that I would love to say but only one really comes to mind right now... thank you!
Thank you for being an influential person in my life. What?!? You didn't know that? Well, you have been. Your acceptance of me for being nothing more than just me has forever changed who I am. It is like you didn't care about my past but cared more for my future. You accepted me as I am. You spoke to me in ways that were truthful but loving at the same time. You would engage me in discussion and you seemed to genuinely want to know what I thought. I was always a bit threatened by that though. You're a very intelligent man and I didn't want to say something stupid. Still, you always seemed to encourage the discussion and I could tell that you actually appreciated the exchange of ideas that we would have.
Thank you for being such a joyful person. When I think of our encounters, I always remember hearing you laugh, but with me and not at me. You didn't tease me or belittle me just to get a laugh from your "audience." Rather, you would laugh a real laugh. I really like that I didn't necessarily have to tell you a joke to get you to laugh either. I wish I could do more of that. Your smile seemed to be a permanent fixture on you; like something that was etched onto your face from years of practice. I want to pick the right types of lines for my face and I think you did a good job picking yours.
Thank you for being an inspirational person in my life. You inspired me to be more than what I am; more than what I was. You showed me that I can achieve anything. Through your thirst for knowledge, I desired to have that same thirst and I desired that same hunger for knowledge that you had. You seemed to look at life in a way that enabled you to have the freedom to become anything that you wanted to become. And, if that wasn't cool enough, your inspiration told me that I could actually change directions in life, take risks and still be a joyful influence to encourage others to take risks as well.
Now that your biography has been written and the last period in the novel of your life has been firmly jotted, I say thank you. Thank you for showing me that when we become nothing more than a shell that our lives can be so much more than two dates with a dash in between. I want to be more than a couple of dates, John. Your life pointed me to so many wonderful things- art, literature, kindness, joy, music, knowledge. I want my life to point to something too, John. When people look through the pages of my life novel, I want my life to point to Jesus. I want people to see Jesus in me in such a way that it inspires them to want to know Jesus also.
As I close this letter, please know that I hold you in high regard and think of you with absolute respect. You are one of the people in my life that have been influential in shaping who I am and for that I am eternally grateful. But more than that, your life has modeled for me how we shape the lives of those around us by our actions and by our words.
Thank you for the privilege of knowing you. I am a better person because of it.
Respectfully,
Dave Hackbarth
In memory of John Armbruster
I have been thinking about you a lot recently and I suppose that isn't much of a shock to you. I decided that I wanted to write you a letter because there are a million things that I would love to say but only one really comes to mind right now... thank you!
Thank you for being an influential person in my life. What?!? You didn't know that? Well, you have been. Your acceptance of me for being nothing more than just me has forever changed who I am. It is like you didn't care about my past but cared more for my future. You accepted me as I am. You spoke to me in ways that were truthful but loving at the same time. You would engage me in discussion and you seemed to genuinely want to know what I thought. I was always a bit threatened by that though. You're a very intelligent man and I didn't want to say something stupid. Still, you always seemed to encourage the discussion and I could tell that you actually appreciated the exchange of ideas that we would have.
Thank you for being such a joyful person. When I think of our encounters, I always remember hearing you laugh, but with me and not at me. You didn't tease me or belittle me just to get a laugh from your "audience." Rather, you would laugh a real laugh. I really like that I didn't necessarily have to tell you a joke to get you to laugh either. I wish I could do more of that. Your smile seemed to be a permanent fixture on you; like something that was etched onto your face from years of practice. I want to pick the right types of lines for my face and I think you did a good job picking yours.
Thank you for being an inspirational person in my life. You inspired me to be more than what I am; more than what I was. You showed me that I can achieve anything. Through your thirst for knowledge, I desired to have that same thirst and I desired that same hunger for knowledge that you had. You seemed to look at life in a way that enabled you to have the freedom to become anything that you wanted to become. And, if that wasn't cool enough, your inspiration told me that I could actually change directions in life, take risks and still be a joyful influence to encourage others to take risks as well.
Now that your biography has been written and the last period in the novel of your life has been firmly jotted, I say thank you. Thank you for showing me that when we become nothing more than a shell that our lives can be so much more than two dates with a dash in between. I want to be more than a couple of dates, John. Your life pointed me to so many wonderful things- art, literature, kindness, joy, music, knowledge. I want my life to point to something too, John. When people look through the pages of my life novel, I want my life to point to Jesus. I want people to see Jesus in me in such a way that it inspires them to want to know Jesus also.
As I close this letter, please know that I hold you in high regard and think of you with absolute respect. You are one of the people in my life that have been influential in shaping who I am and for that I am eternally grateful. But more than that, your life has modeled for me how we shape the lives of those around us by our actions and by our words.
Thank you for the privilege of knowing you. I am a better person because of it.
Respectfully,
Dave Hackbarth
In memory of John Armbruster
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composed by
dave
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