Not of This Mold August, 2017
Terrie Jean Cate. It was not because she was beautiful, she was. It was not because she was successful, she was. It was not because she was well educated, she was. The fact that over 300 people showed up for the funeral service for her was amazing, until we learned who she really was. It had to be moved to an outdoor auditorium to accommodate everyone. Terrie had died three days after collapsing during a fitness qualifying run for the UC Irvine Soccer Team as a new Freshman.
As the service of that morning progressed the time for friends and family comments arrived. There was a line of people waiting for the microphone. The first one there was a girl about Terrie’s age who started with this phrase, “she was my best friend.” Then a young man came up and he started with this phrase, “she was my best friend.” Before it was all over, twenty people had gone to the microphone and essentially conveyed that Terrie was THEIR best friend.
No matter who spoke, and no matter what we learned of her, it was clear that she cared a great deal more about others than about herself. No, she didn’t spend money on them, or flatter them, or arrange business deals for them. What she did was listen. One girl explained that she was in so much trouble that she couldn’t sleep. Tapping on Terrie’s window at 3 o’clock in the morning she was assured, and knew in her heart, that not only would Terrie be there but again she would listen.
Our world demands and expects that we take care of ourselves first, every time. Terrie had not been molded that way. Hers was not an earthly mold. She had been handcrafted by her Creator to be more caring than beautiful, more loving than successful, more giving than educated. Her victory was in doing what her Maker designed her to do. Her beauty came from the inside, from her heart. Though she was young, she already had all the education that she needed for everything that she did. He taught her well, and she didn’t wait to use what she knew. If she could be that person at 18, just imagine what you can do with all that you know.
A Guy Named Bob 