Sunday, November 26, 2023
FAREWELL TO NANCY & LADY!
Francis William (Frank, Will) Bessler
4500 Meadowlark Lane
Laramie, Wyoming 82070
307-742-7428 wilieb@wyoming.com
11/24/23 – 11/26/23
Hello, Everyone!
As you know, my Dear Wife, Nancy Shaw, slipped away from us on November 1st. Thankfully, Nancy went in peace at home here with daughter, Debbie, son, Mark, sister, Dottie, brother-in-law, Don, and husband, yours truly, close at hand. Nancy died from chronic heart failure. We helped to ease her out of this life and into her next one – whatever that is for her – and for all of us eventually.
We are grateful for the care of Laramie Hospice (Hospice of Laramie) and Home Instead for providing end of life care for Nancy too. It was not easy losing my wonderful spouse, but it was made a lot easier than it would have been had not Nancy been surrounded by so many she loved – and loved her. Thanks to Everyone who participated – including all of you who were there in spirit and prayer.
I must say, too, that our gravesite memorial for Nancy went very well on what would have been Nancy’s 91st birthday – November 22nd, 2023. It was 49 degrees with no wind and a few deer wandering about our Greenhill Cemetery in Laramie when and where we said goodbye to Nancy. Pastor Nathan of our Trinity Lutheran Church delivered a terrific spiritual farewell and maybe 15 or so of Nancy’s friends joined myself and daughter, Anita, and my 1st wife, Dee, and Nancy’s son, Mark, at the offering.
Montgomery-Stryker Funeral Home prepped the site with a few benches and delivered an urn with Nancy’s cremated remains which Mark deposited at the site during the ceremony. Actually, that urn contained only 1/3 of Nancy’s remains. I have a separate urn with another third on my mantel and a final urn of a final third of her remains awaits the family scattering them at a site of their choice next June when we plan on a Trinity Lutheran Church service and celebration about Nancy for family and friends – probably June 28th as planned now. Any who can come and want to come are welcome. OK? Details will be forthcoming when the time is near.
As we leave you – Nancy from a new perch in her next life and me from my current perch here in Laramie - let me say I do believe we are all children of a Precious Creation and All Present Infinity that envelops us and should inspire us to embrace and love the life we are privileged to enjoy.
Like my essay below that I wrote on Nancy’s 84th birthday on 11/22/2016 called CHRISTMAS TIME says, every baby should remind us of the Christmas baby we call Jesus. To adore Jesus should mean to adore every child – and the minute we fail to adore every child, we also betray the child Jesus. That is our belief – that of both Nancy and me - but I will let my essay which is found in my book called IT’S A NEW DAY offer a bit more. If you like the essay, you will probably like the entire book. If so, feel welcome to order a copy of that book or any of my 10 books via Amazon or my writings websites – una-bella-vita.com and francisbessler.com.
Have a Wonderful Christmas, Everyone, and Fabulous 2024! Be in touch; and Know you are Welcome anytime you want to stop by!
Goodbye for Now!
All Our Love,
Angel Nancy Shaw &
Francis William (Frank, Will, Sonny) Bessler
CHRISTMAS TIME
By
Francis William Bessler
11/22/2016
When I think about Christmas, I see that baby in the manger scene that very often typifies Christmas. I do believe it is an appropriate image for telling us what is really important about life - and that is life itself. I know I grew up with the idea that the baby in the manger only represented Jesus, but I have long grown up to see far more than just a Jesus as a baby in a manger. I see every baby now - not just Jesus; and I believe that is what I should see - and what the baby Jesus would have me see too.
My, how times have changed for me! In my youth, I believed that every baby needs "saved" - by a grown man we know as Jesus; but now I believe that it is Jesus - and every grown up - who needs "saved" by every baby.
Just think about it! In a way, any baby is "saved" - if it is loved - by simply "being adored." It just looks around and sees everything as wonderful - if grown ups present wonder to it. Right? In the Nativity Scene we are presented at Christmas Time, that baby is shown as being adored by all of those about, including various critters in the stable; and that is the true meaning of salvation, I think - to know you are loved.
In truth, I do believe that is why we love Christmas Time so much. Indeed, need of salvation is the message of Christmas, but what is that for a new born baby - nothing more than being loved. Right? In the Nativity Scene we love so much, Jesus needed to be loved; and he was; and as it was for Jesus, it is true for everyone. We all "need to be loved." We all need "salvation." Do we not?
I have long realized, however, that the need to be loved - and "finding salvation" - need not be dependent upon others loving us, but rather each of us loving ourselves. We all need to be loved. There is no question about that; but if we depend upon others to love us to satisfy that love, we may live a life of empty - and in practice, never find salvation, because we may never be loved. In the end, however, it is love that matters - not who loves us. That means if we love ourselves, independent of others loving us, and fulfill that need by simply looking within - and then proceed outward and love everyone else through that love - then "salvation" is always at hand. Is it not?
So, what does "Christmas Time" tell me? It tells me a simple message of love; but for myself, I need not go beyond that. If I fill up my life with love, it does not really matter if it's the love of others for me - or much more securely - love of myself for me. If I truly love myself, then because everyone else is the same as me, I will love all by beginning with me.
Indeed, Let me look at that beautiful baby in every Nativity Scene and see me; but let me realize that it is not those who stand about me - adoring me - that should matter. It's just me, knowing I am "adorable" because I am the same as every creature that is also "adorable" - and taking that message with me - and turning every day and every hour into a "Christmas Time."
Or so, I Believe! How about you?
Child of The Light
A Song or Poem
By
Francis William Bessler
Atlanta, Georgia
5/2001
Oh, Child of The Light, play as you will.
You have but to live to find your fill.
You can’t understand from whence you came
Just embrace it all joyfully as if it’s a game.
For a game life is, or should be for all.
Oh, Child of The Light, have yourself a ball.
Look at the earth and the sun and the moon
and know that they are all in tune.
The wonder of all of God’s great creation
should fill your mind with jubilation.
Oh, Child of The Light, you fit in well
and you ring as you should as one of the bells.
So, don’t fret and worry and live in fear.
As God is your source, It’s also your care.
Be not afraid as you go forward in time.
Oh, Child of The Light, you’ve a life that’s Divine.
P.S.
Feel Welcome to attend our grave site
at Greenhill Cemetery in Laramie.
Leave some flowers if you like!
That site is Row K, Lot 33, Space # 5.
Our Inscription at
Our grave site:
The Key to Finding Peace
In this life or the next
Is to Know & Treat Life
Like it is a Gift –
For a Gift it is from
An All Present Infinite God.
Or such is OUR BELIEF!
Onwards!
Every place is Heaven
because God is everywhere.
What makes a place a Heaven
is the Divinity that is there.
So, it stands to reason, My Friend,
if all existence is of God,
all existence must be Heaven
and where I am I should applaud.
Nancy Hammond Shaw
11/22/1932 – 11/1/2023
Francis William Bessler
12/3/1941 –
P.S.
11/26/23
HELLO AGAIN!
I am left a bit more bewildered as I write this postscript, but I am sure all is well – in spite of a recent death in the house. Nancy died in our tv room on a hospital bed provided by Laramie Hospice on November 1st – and her dog and my dog, Lady, died this morning in the bath room of our main bedroom. Lady was about 11 years old. The cause of her death may be determined by our vet tomorrow, but she has been ill off and on for the past week; but I never expected she would die; and, again, I am bewildered that she has.
I am glad, though, that my lovely daughter, Anita, and 1st wife, Dee, were not here when Lady passed. They left this morning to return home to a baptism in Colorado where they live to happen sometime around Noon. Anita and Dee came on the 21st of November to be here for our gravesite tribute to Nancy on what would have been Nancy’s 91st birthday on the 22nd – and stayed for a few days afterwards. What a wonderful stay that was! But I sure am glad Lady waited till after they had gone to go herself. Anita would have been heart broken – as I am now.
Sorry, Anita! But it’s OK! I will just be adding another urn with another friend’s remains to my mantel. I refuse to waste any time mourning a life well spent. Lady was a terrific friend to both Nancy and I – and I suppose Lady left in a way to be with Nancy. It is a mystery, but a wonderful one in my opinion.
By it, I am reminded that death comes to us all, but it is part of the grand experience of life and should not be feared. Nancy and Lady will simply continue on being who they were – regardless of where they are now. That is my belief.
Where will I go from here? I don’t know, but I do know I will insist that I continue to treat life as a gift and will never accuse it of sin – like so many do in this world. Nancy & Lady did not live in sin – far from it. Paul of Tarsus may have believed they were “far from the glory of God,” but I don’t think so. On the contrary, I believe that both Nancy & Lady lived within the Glory of God; and that is where they will continue to live – wherever they have gone.
Nancy & Lady, go now to find a new Paradise – be it here on Earth or elsewhere! I have you both in a few photos for the year and will be about compiling a bit of a DVD pictorial of the year, 2023. I won’t share that pictorial with anyone who does not ask for it; but for what it’s worth, I will be glad to share it with any who might like a copy. OK? As I often say, ASK AND YOU WILL RECEIVE, but if you do choose to “receive,” I will mail you the inscriptions I will have placed on the front end – and you can confirm or deny from there. Alright?
Time to go! Wow, am I surprised to lose Dear Nancy and Dear Lady within the same month, but they will go with me – as I will go with them. Thanks, Nancy & Lady, for being part of my “Paradise On Earth!”.
Let me leave you with my Twitter Tweet of the day! Thanks, Everyone, for also being part of my “Paradise On Earth!”. Know you are all Welcome!
All My Love,
Francis William Bessler
(Frank, Will, Sonny)
Don't be shy.
Know of your worth
and let's find Paradise
on this Earth.
Yes, let's find Paradise
on this Earth.
Let's find Paradise
on this Earth.
For more, see
una-bella-vita.com/francisbessler.com