I have no idea how many of you that read this blog had ever heard of or watched Tim Russert before yesterday. As a self-titled political junkie, Mark never missed the show Russert hosted on NBC, "Meet The Press," for many years. It was part of his Sunday (or later in the week, thanks to the DVR) as much as reading the newspaper.
Sadly, he was 58 years old when he passed away on Friday after suffering a heart attack. A few years ago, Mark read a short portion of one of Russert's books in an edition of Reader's Digest and was so moved by the piece that he cut the clip out, to remind himself of what the real priorities were in life, even as busy as it gets sometimes. Mark wanted to share a few of the comments on this blog, especially as Father's Day weekend is upon us.
Russert on how his life changed when his only son Luke was born:
"At that moment, all my priorities shifted. There were no more spontaneous happy hours after work, no more late-night movies, and you couldn't have paid me to go to a dinner party. My career became secondary to the blessings of being a parent."
Later, he describes talking to Luke when he went off to college.
"I gave him simple advice: 'Study hard, laugh often, and keep your honor.' I pray that I taught him to make good decisions and given him strong moral grounding to do the right thing."
But it's the last line of the piece that really hits home after hearing of his death:
"Because ever since August 22, 1985, at 7:11 PM, I've known that when my life is over, there's nothing more I'll be judged on than what kind of father I was."
Amen to all of the above.
Thanks, Tim Russert, for all you did to give people a better understanding of their government and their country, but most importantly, for being a great father in your own right. May you rest in eternal peace.
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