Eulogy to My Dad

When the Rabbi asked if anyone would like to speak at today's service, I wasn't sure if I would have the courage to do so. I knew that I wanted to speak, but I almost kept silent because I was afraid that I might not be able to hold it together. Well, I'm Lenny Moscovitz's daughter and with that title comes a world of life lessons. One of those lessons is to live life to the fullest, and to the best of your ability, have no regrets. So, here I am.

There were so many life lessons to be learned by my dad. You had to pay attention, though. He wasn't going to teach them to you through traditional wisdom. You kind of just had to absorb them day by day. If you wanted a boat and couldn't afford one, you built one yourself. A smile and a charming laugh would attract people to you like magnets. Never be afraid of new technology - an upside down television picture was nothing more than opportunity and a trip to Radio Shack in disguise. And you don't need to be the father of the year to be an amazing father - you just have to love with all your being. The lesson that I will treasure the most however, is the lesson of sharing your heart with others.

For as far back as I can remember, Dad was volunteering somewhere. When we were young, I don't think that we thought much of it. It wasn't until later in life that we learned that his example would lead us to lives filled with great joy and fulfillment. His volunteerism came straight from the heart. He showed us how it felt to give of yourself unconditionally. It takes a special person to deliver meals to the homebound sick and elderly. It takes an exceptional person to sit with people in their final stages of life and provide comfort and companionship to them. Dad's last chapter of Takun Olam, healing the world, was at Bo's Place. Providing hope to grieving families is a passion that we shared. I'm really going to miss our phone calls where we caught each other up on the happenings at Bo's Place and Tomorrow's Rainbow.

I'm so blessed that during one of his Florida visits, Dad was able to co-facilitate a child's bereavement group with me. At one point, I looked over and a little boy was showing him how to muck a horse stall. They both took this responsibility very seriously as they became friends. The little boy learned quickly that Dad was a person that he could trust and that truly cared. The boy took Dad under his wing and taught him everything that he knew about horses. The two became great buddies that day - I gained a memory that I will cherish forever.

Over the holidays, Dad showed me a memorial bracelet that one of the men in his group had given him. I believe that the gentlemen's son had died serving our country. Dad was so proud of that bracelet. He was so touched that someone cared that much that they would share such a heartfelt gift with him. I'm not sure that Dad ever really understood the impact of his generous heart and the legacy that he leaves behind through his children and grandchildren.

Dad, if angel wings are earned while you're here on earth, then you must have yourself one of the biggest sets an angel can get... Although, I'm pretty sure that by now, you've already got them souped up with a motor, T-tops, and WiFi.

My dad taught us that you don't have to color inside the lines to be a great artist.

My dad taught us that you don't have to be a scholar to be a great teacher.

My dad taught us that you don't have to be the perfect parent to be an exceptional parent.

And my dad taught us that there are children and then there's Lenny Moscovitz's children. To be Lenny Moscovitz's child is truly a blessing.

When One Door Closes - Another Opens

I'm often asked about the logistics of owning a "house pig". To us, it doesn't seem strange at all. Floyd is not only a grief facilitator at Tomorrow's Rainbow, but he's also a member of our family. Our little piggy (he'll always be a little piggy to us) is a great role model for teaching us lessons in resilience.

When Floyd was a piglet, he was capable of doing many things with his young, energetic body. He could wrestle with our dog, Philly, for hours. His little pig tush could fit quite easily in the litter box, and he could maneuver the steps to climb up on the couch and the bed effortlessly. But as Floyd grew, the things that he used to be able to do with ease, became difficult.

Floyd could have resisted the obvious. He could have dug his hooves into that litter box and insisted that he fit just fine, all the while his piggy cheeks hanging overboard. No, Floyd was too proud for that - if the litter box didn't fit, he wasn't wearing it! Floyd taught himself to open the screen door and relieve himself in the wild like his ancestors before him. There was only one problem - the screen door closed behind him and he couldn't get back in the house. That didn't stop Floyd from what he always knew: When one door closes - another door opens. And so Floyd continued to use that screen door until one day it happened; Floyd became the proud new owner of a door that led him back into the safety (and air conditioning) of his home.

When someone you love dies, it can be real easy to get those hooves stuck in the litter. But even if you're in denial, your butt is still gonna be hanging out. Take a lesson from Floyd about resilience and have faith in yourself. As you push through those new doors, even if they close behind you, believe with all your being that new ones will open.

Attention Please!

In front of two television stations and several newspaper reporters, Mr. and Mrs. Digory Donkey tied the knot! It seemed like a simple concept to me. Tomorrow's Rainbow was the new kid on the block as far as non-profits go, so if you want to get noticed, do something a little outrageous. I believed that it was the perfect plan to wake up a community that had all but ignored grieving children. WRONG! The donkeys became more famous, but our mission to support grieving children and their families did not.

Consider these staggering numbers:
When children are supported during their grief journey, they are...
~5 times less likely to complete suicide (USDHHS, Bureau of Census)
~10 times less likely to engage in substance abuse (Rainbows for all God's Children, UK)
~20 times less likely to develop behavioral disorders (Center for Disease Control, US)

What made me tear up my wedding dress from 1986 and remodel it for a donkey? I wanted to get our community's attention. Digory, Duchess, and the entire Tomorrow's Rainbow herd are great ambassadors for grieving children, but they need your help. It's time we all start talking about the forgotten mourners, grieving children, and get some real attention...PLEASE!

Well, To Tell You the Truth...

One of my favorite shows is Lie to Me. My family and I have become "armchair lie detectors" as we practice the skills that each week's episode turns up. Granted the show is fiction. I suspect that the skills are partially fiction too, but it sure is fun to pretend that we know what we're doing!

When fiction turns to reality, the lies aren't so harmless - especially when it comes to the death of a loved one. No matter how difficult the truth is to tell, it's always the best approach. Did I always know this? Of course not!

When my minivan crashed head-on at 65 miles per hour into another car, I wasn't thinking about how I was going to explain this nightmare to my son. I was pinned under the dashboard of our van with my husband crushed behind me. I had one second to respond to my son's outcry, "Mommy, Daddy's not moving!"

To this day, I'm not proud of my response, "Daddy's sleeping." I just blurted it out without even thinking. I wanted to protect him from the painful truth.

Children want to know two things: that we will love them no matter what, and that they can trust us no matter what. I have spent 9 years regretting my response. I suspect that my poor choice will always be one of those things that I'm not proud of. From that horrific day on, I made a promise to my son and myself that I would always be truthful (he already knew that I would love him no matter what).

When grieving children come to Tomorrow's Rainbow, they have the opportunity to share about the death of a loved one. A common thing that happens to children that don't know the truth about how their loved one died, is that they will make up a story that includes bits and pieces of what they've heard. They'll fill in the blanks with whatever they can relate to i.e.-cartoons, video games, television shows, etc. Typically, their version of the story is much worse than the truth. The solution is simple. Be honest in age appropriate terms.

Just because your children don't have lie detector skills like the TV show doesn't mean that they can't sense that they're being lied to. You can do it. They can handle it. If the goldfish dies, don't tell them that you're sending it on an ocean voyage via your toilet bowl! Tell them the truth. The same goes for people that you love. Be honest, be sincere, be truthful.

Scott Peterson sits on death row for killing his wife and unborn child. According to PEOPLE magazine, his commissary account "has a significant amount of money" from people sending checks from all over the world.

Are you kidding me? I watch an amazing, dedicated group of volunteers struggle to help ensure that Tomorrow's Rainbow will be helping grieving children and their families for years to come. Money that could be spent to help so many worthwhile charities worldwide is helping Scott Peterson buy soda, candy and cookies.

Our economy is rapidly creating a new "death row." Non-profits that work so tirelessly to heal our communities are facing extremely difficult times. Many won't be able to withstand the storm.

How can people be so misguided? How much toothpaste can an inmate possibly need? I vacillate between anger and sadness over this total insanity. I'm so absolutely privileged to have those feelings balanced by the genuine goodness of those that dedicate their time and energy on behalf of grieving children and their families at Tomorrow's Rainbow.

Who Makes This Stuff Up?

I get absolutely nuts when people are praised for being a pillar of strength when a loved one dies. Who decided that strength and stoicism

were the barometers for successful grieving?

Oprah once had some gentlemen on her show that had experienced the death of their father at a young age. She was so impressed that the very next day they were back at school. Why was that deserving of praise?

Liam Neeson and his son's Michael, 13, and Daniel, 12, were recently praised for showing "remarkable public poise" after the death of Natasha Richardson. Who decided that public poise is something to be complimented?

In my opinion, giving kudos to those that grieve in nice, neat packages is hurtful and harmful. I suppose that it would be nice if volcanos never actually erupted, but they do. Their energy can't be contained forever. Well, grief energy can't be contained forever either - even if non-grievers would feel more comfortable with us being "poised." And does that make those of us that display our emotions more openly, a total failure at grief? There simply isn't a reason to applaud or judge how somebody grieves. Being open, supportive and present for them is a much better use of your time.

Accolades are for accomplishments. Grief is a part of life that hurts really, really, really bad. A grieving person does not need, nor do they deserve, a report card.

The miniature horses tend to get all of the credit around here! Riley and Little Bit are amazing therapy horses, too. We call them our "big girls" because when you're over 1,000 pounds, you're hard to miss.

People assume that I've been around horses my whole life. Not true. I just had great teachers in these two gals. I guess that makes me the teachers' pet!