Landscape Management, September 2009

WHITSWORLD MARTY WHITFORD EDITOR iN CHIEF Contact Marty at 216 106 3766 or via email mwhitford@ questex com Got gratitude for The Gift of today E very day is a bonus Tomorrow is promised to no one Ive h ld a few 00 many reminders of ulis during the past 12 months Adam Gaspar my buddy from the first grade learned and taught IIIC and mallY others how to tnll live in the moment during his lO month battle with brain cancer Adam died last year about this time at age 42 encircled by loved ones including me He left behind a wife six children twO parentS a sister and many friends He also left behind a leg JCY of living in the now teaching guarded men like me how to pour out Ql lT love lIld lal lghtcr llong with OIlT tcars and fcars morc opt n ly Five months after Adam peacefully went home to God my oldest brother j im knocked on Heavens door jim was 47 when he suffered a heart att lCk all Feb 9 News of my beloved brothers death was shocking and devast lting to m my That was the day my mom my eight other siblings and I alongwithJims wife and three children realized Jim and my dad shared much more than just dleir names and birthdays nlCse intertwined souls had huge hearts and both were called away too early and too suddenl for our liking and undersrnnding Yesterday a former co worker of ours lost a loved one Ali ke Seuffert LliluisCfI K Mllllngr1l II s associate editor from 2004 to 2008 and his wife Tricia and their 3 year old Ava said thcir final goodhye to Parker Scuffcrt Had Parker li c until tomorrow Aug 7 he would ha e been 5 months old But no one is promised tomorrow Parker endured several he lrt surgeries and so allied minor hrain surgery After hauling hard md long he found himself much closer to Gods hOllle man ours Last night after work I went to me hospirnl to meet Parker for dIe first time and to pray for him Mike and his family as Ive done from af Jr for 10 months ever since like told me Tricia was with child BUl Parker had bigger 48 LANDSCAPEMANAGEMENT NET SEPTEMBER 2009 plans Just an hour or two earlier he got to meet his 100 ing creator No matter me days obstacles at work or hallie we owe it to Parker j im and Adam to cherish The Gift to show gratitude throughout today for today by truly living in the moment Ve must live today widl filith hope and love no malter the hurdles Formnatel we can follow my brothers lead Livc large laugh often and lo c always Vhen things get really difficult like they are now for SO many in this business we mUSt dig deep band together md fight through it one d lY one momcnt at a time just like Adam and Parker did At a r Jre loss for words Ill close with a poem my mom and my sister Lisa f 1lVC me and my wife Bridgid 14 years ago the day our second child j amie was born widl Down syndrome T HE WEAVER My LiJf is bllt a I ltlTViIIg ber vulllIIy JJI I lIlId 1llt I cali lOt h JSt the co rm Hr 7 fol imh sUildily oft times He flwt th so1l111V AI1II I ill foolish pruIt fi 1ger He sUS tht IIPptt 011111 the IIlder slile N t til the loom is silelll a ll the sh lrtlts mise to fly shall GOl IIl roll thr I s 1 1111 explail the rei SOli W Y Itlrk thn ads 11 as lIetdflll 7 IV avers skillful bond III e e J I S the threods of gold all S Vel b 11 He hilS pImmed lit ep I