My cousin
Bernie died a couple of days ago. It
brings up some funny memories of the movie in which "Bernie" had died and was hauled
around by friends, as though he was alive.
I think Bernie would have laughed at that – because Bernie
laughed at many things. When he laughed,
he laughed all over his body. He loved
to laugh. His laughter was contagious.
I have
known Bernie – or Bud , as he was called – since he was born – and that was
probably more than 80 years ago. Bud was
not one to stick strictly to the facts sometimes. (That trait was given to him by his father – most
of us agree – who spent his entire adult life as a sailor; serving
all during WW II in the heat of battle sailing around the world aboard a ship). But it matters not which genes this trait
might have come from – we all agreed that Bernie liked to expand the truth just
a bit in order to make a good story even better. He loved a good a good
story. Nothing wrong with that – we all
do that, a bit, don’t we? I do.
But Bud
had a serious side. He was deeply
religious. I know not which brand to
which he subscribed, but which ever it was, he believed in it faithfully and completely. He wrote religious books for children and religious
books for adults. He conducted an on line bible study for many years and had
quite a following, I am told.
In the
face of a not so happy life some years ago, he happily shared his positive beliefs with others. His first wife and a child had died young. His sister died young. But he moved on and married
Donna and had a son, both of whom he adored. But
his faith carried him on in his life until a couple of days ago.
Those who
know me know that I am not a religious person. I have my own thoughts and
beliefs which did not match Bernie’s. We
talked about this some years ago and agreed to leave that to ourselves. But I did not criticize him nor he
me. Here are my thoughts about one’s
beliefs. What ever one may believe about
religion is what they mandate will take place.
Bernard Albertson devoutly believed he needed to teach others about his
beliefs and did so. He believed he would
go to heaven after death – And so it matters not what I think -- he will.
Have a safe and swift journey to heaven, cousin Bernie…. from the heart of Olaf Hart
