Measure Twice, Cut Once

I found out not long ago, that a dear friend and former beau from college, had passed away. Actually, he announced his own death on Facebook, and I was a bit taken aback when I read it, several days after the fact. (He passed away October 29, 2012 in California, which was the day Hurricane Sandy hit us here on the east coast).
Although his death announcement was lighthearted and upbeat, it was the culmination of several years of poor health. I'm sure those closest to him were expecting it, but I was shocked and saddened to hear the news.

Last winter, Tom commented on a layout I posted on Facebook because there was a photo of him on it. It was about one particular summer in college.

He asked if I had any others, and in the course of our email conversation, it turns out that he had lost all of his photos from college and his mission, and I happened to have saved lots. (If you are a regular reader of my blog, you know I save almost everything!)  So, I spent a day or so scanning a pile of old photos and negatives from those years in the early '70s, and emailed them to him.  Included in these photos were some pictures I took of Tom in his Provo workshop in 1975, shortly after he became a carpenter, which became his lifelong profession.  I'm sure he must have asked me to take pictures of him at work, perhaps he used the photos for something professional at the time. I don't recall even printing these photos, they were in my negatives file. When I scanned them, I was so pleased with how they looked, they really captured Tom hard at work- pencil behind his ear, dirty work apron, carefully cutting and sanding.

I wanted to create a layout about Tom as a tribute- not anything about our relationship, although Tom meant the world to me, but mostly as a symbol of the man Tom was. I wasn't part of his 'grown up' life, (even though I introduced him to his wife, and we exchanged Christmas cards occasionally through the years), but I know that he raised 3 fine boys, had a loving marriage, had an abiding faith in his Heavenly Father, and was a great Dad, husband, grandpa, and friend.

So, here's to Tom. I think the old carpenter's saying "Measure twice, cut once", is a perfect tribute. It indicates the time and care necessary to do anything right. And I think he did many things wonderfully right.  Rest in peace, dear friend.