Grateful for My Dad's Life of Learning

Good morning and God bless you. And thank you for your many expressions of compassion and support for our family in the death of my dad, Charles Williams, on January 9th. He died in his sleep. While his death was not unexpected, he had been living with congestive heart failure since 2012, you are never ready for the phone call from your mom telling you that your dad has died.

Having been with families as their pastor in preparing for a funeral, I now know first hand the disorienting experience of making many plans in a few days; bursting into tears and almost bursting into tears; having great composure; being very silent and laughing loudly; being fixated on small details; and, well, just grieving. I felt the comfort of being ministered to by Rev. Kim Bloom and the Clay United Methodist Church, mom and dad’s home church in South Bend.

In the days since his death and funeral I have noticed that I find myself in times and spaces of emptiness, not agitated or accompanied by a flood of tears, but more like a wave that has crested and exhausted itself on the shore. But in those concentrated days of preparing for a funeral and meal, and being consoled by people with big hearts and fond memories of my dad, there also was and is a profound sense of gratitude.

I am moved by the memory of my dad’s life of learning and commitment to education. He contributed greatly to the advancement and relevance of public education. I treasure our family pictures at graduations. Dad was the first person in his family to get a college education, eventually earning his Doctorate in Education from Ball State University. My sister, Dr. Lori Tagger, has followed with a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Indiana State University. And our oldest daughter, Lindsey Sherd, is earning her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Nebraska. It’s no surprise that I hold a profound commitment and appreciation for learning and teaching in the life of faith. And I am thankful for the many ways the Bible expresses the values of wisdom and knowledge.

My child, if you accept my words and treasure up my commandments within you,

making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding;

if you indeed cry out for insight, and raise your voice for understanding;

if you seek it like silver, and search for it as for hidden treasures—

then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God…

Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path;

for wisdom will come into your heart,

and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;

prudence will watch over you; and understanding will guard you (Proverbs 2:1-5, 9-11).

May your learning be accompanied with thanksgiving for the people in your life who seek wisdom and knowledge and understanding, especially if they happen to include your dad.