A Celebration of Life

Mary L. Duwe, CPF, Master Coach

A group of us were dining at the Red Lobster in Rochester, Minnesota, as a barbershop quartet called Genetix sang several of their favorite songs. While singing a song called You Raise Me Up, a woman in the restaurant started to wipe her tears. When they were finished singing, she approached them and thanked them for the beautiful song. She told them her father was presently in a coma at the Mayo clinic dying of an inoperable brain tumor. She said, “I felt like you were raising my father up as you were singing.” The woman proceeded to share with the quartet that her father had been a barbershop singer as well.

I have an inside view of this story of celebration as these four men are very close to me. My husband Dan, my son Josh, their chorus director Gary Thiel, and his son Robb sing together in a quartet called Genetix. Family is valued by each member. These four men were very touched by the woman’s tears of love for her father and expression of gratitude for their song. It was a perfect example of how a song can touch and heal the human heart.

While they were in conversation about her father’s condition, she asked them if they would take the time to sing to her dying father. The Mayo Clinic was only a short cab ride away, and so the quartet made arrangements to go to the hospital the next day. The quartet members also belonged to a competition chorus called the Northern Gateway Chorus.  The chorus was scheduled to compete the following day. The quartet members made plans to leave the festivities soon after the results of the competition were announced, feeling it was a privilege and an honor to be asked to share this gift of song and celebrate the life of this woman’s father.

The following day was indeed a celebratory day for the Northern Gateway Chorus.  They won a first place trophy in their division as well as a trophy for the most improved chorus. The chorus also achieved the highest singing score in the history of their participation in the competition.  This was quite an achievement for Gary Theil, the chorus director, as well as all the members of the Northern Gateway Chorus. However, a more important performance lay ahead.
 
The quartet members gathered after the chorus competition, remembering their commitment to their fellow barbershopper at the Mayo Clinic. They made their way to the hospital, not knowing if this woman’s father would even hear the music they were about to perform. However, upon arriving in his room, they discovered he had awakened from his coma just in time to listen! Words cannot describe their joy of this one small miracle.

The quartet sang You Raise Me Up.  Each singer expressed himself authentically from his heart:  the celebration of a life well lived. Josh said, “It was the most difficult and most rewarding performance I have ever done. It touched me at the center of my soul.”

This is the part of the story that really touched the singers’ hearts. The quartet started their next song called Java Jive, a very uplifting tune…and the old time barbershopper began to sing with them!  He remembered all the words.  It was a moment of joy that touched the hearts of everyone in the room. At that moment, there was little difference between what the singers were giving and what they were receiving: the celebration with song now flowed both ways.

The barbershop motto, “keep the whole world singing,” had new meaning that day in late October 2007 as they finished their performance with Can You Feel the Love Tonight? Through the smiles and the tears of family and new friends, the old songs once again rang a chord to celebrate life itself.

 Thank you Dan, Josh, Gary and Robb for reminding us:

• It is in giving that you receive
• Every life you touch matters
• When you bring life to others …yours is renewed
• Talent alone is never enough
• Life is for living, engaging, and sharing what you have
• Never minimize your contributions to the lives you touch daily
• There is no limit to how far your influence will extend with an act of lov

Mary L. Duwe, a veteran advisor, Certified Financial Planner®, and Master Coach, brings a depth of experience and desire to help advisors improve their lives and practices. She has practiced as a successful financial planner since 1984 and is licensed in securities, life insurance, and real estate. Mary has a BS in Psychology and received her coach training from CoachU. She continued her training with the Graduate School of Coaching, Legacy Learning (Franklin Covey Coaching) and has completed the Emotional Competence Inventory Accreditation (EIC). As an experienced Emotional Intelligence Development Coach, Mary works with advisors to reorient their lives and their businesses for greater success, meaning, and fulfillment. Mary is the master coach for Mitch Anthony’s Institute of Financial Life Planning. She prepares financial advisors to deepen their client relationships and coaches the process of Financial Life Planning. According to Mary, “The right conversation will make all the difference.” Contact Mary at mary@maryduwe.com or mary@mitchanthony.com. Phone: 715-693-8002.

© 2007 Mary Duwe