January 20th post
On the 20th, a memory about Matthew and me. I first met Matthew on an app, as seems to be the trend of the last 10 years or more. He said something like, “I notice you like Ray Lamontagne. So do I.” That was our first concert together a month later and then our song was “It’s Always Been You”.
The first time we met in person was about a week after talking on the app, and we met at Henry’s, which was a coffee shop at the time. I am so thankful to Anne Patterson for sending me one of her excellent sketches of that building as it was in its glory days.
Matthew used to tell me his first thought when he saw me was, “Wow! She’s out of my league.” We had a 2nd date four days later. He didn’t tell me it was his birthday, so I insisted I buy his dinner. We ate at Jade Garden that day. He then traveled on an architecture tour in New York for about a week. He texted me a picture of the 30 Rock building because he remembered me mentioning it was my favorite show.
He also visited the One World Trade Center memorial and decided to make a collage series of how he experienced that exhibit. He showed me the collage and told me his feelings and impressions as he moved through the rooms. The collage series is now hanging high in our living room because, as I often told him, they represent one of the first times I realized I was falling in love with him.
Matthew had compassion for people suffering. He appreciated memorials and their significance.
I’d like to end with a passage from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s last speech before he was killed. I was reading it this morning thinking of Dr. King and tying it also to a hope for heaven that I have, and I am happy that Matthew can be there rejoicing:
“Well, I don’t know what will happen now. We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn’t matter with me now, because I’ve been to the mountaintop.
And I don’t mind.
Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land!
And so I’m happy, tonight.
I’m not worried about anything.
I’m not fearing any man!
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!!” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
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