Gobblee Gobble

It’ll be a strange and sad turkey day for us Bigecks - first holiday without Pops. Let’s hope we can all just be thankful for the many years we got to spend with him. Anyway - Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!

Holiday Vow

I vow to enjoy this holiday season and not allow outside influences to hinder my celebration of God, my family and friends. I promise to reflect on all that is good in my life and not dwell on life's inevitable pitfalls. I will remember that life is not about how many times we fall, but how many times we pick ourselves up and keep on keepin on.

Ditching the Darkness

So its 01:20am and here I sit in the county jail. The animals are burning god knows what, cooking god knows what. It smells like what I imagine the ghettos in Slumdog Millionaire smell like.

I hate this place. It’s late. I wish I was home next to my beautiful wife in our nice warm bed. I just buried my father. I’m super worried about my mother. I’m a depressive personality. I should be depressed.

Well I just took a deep breath of this obnoxious, recycled, burnt rubber / plastic smelling air and thought… I love life. I’m healthy. I’m happy. I’m hopeful. I may be failing at inspiring others but I’m inspired. I’ve decided to take a “stand beside me, behind me or get the hell out of my way” attitude. I’m tired of allowing my environment to dictate how I feel. I’m tired of mediocrity. I’m smart. I’m caring, and deserving. There is no reason why I cannot find success! If this sounds like you - talk to me. Maybe I can help. If not and you just think I’m full of s#!t that’s fine too. But you’ll never truly know until you learn for yourself.

If I have wronged you in the past – I’m sorry. If my actions of the past have caused you to think less of me, well there is really nothing I can do about that. It took a gruesome, world changing bullet to the brain event – but I’ve been delivered. While I still have the clown nose and big shoes, I don’t always wear them. All I want is for people to see me for who I am and not for whom I once was. For the past 5 years I have not been perfect but I have grown and I plan to continue to improve.

So to steal from Dr. King – Throughout it all I’ve had a dream. The flame may have flickered but it never died. Now I live to feed the fire. I pray that if you ever had a dream that you keep searching. I also hope that you search with YOUR eyes, YOUR ears, and YOUR heart. Yours are the only senses that you can truly trust.

DAD'S EULOGY

Imagine witty improv comments here...

Good morning everyone, we are all gathered here today to celebrate the life of my dad, Bill Bigeck. Dad was born on April 2, 1934 and died a few minutes into October 17, 2010.

I remember thinking in the days leading up to dad's death - "I hope dad doesn't die on my birthday."

Well October 17th is no longer just my birthday, it's the day my father passed away.

My first reaction was dismay, but as I contemplated it a little more it wasn't so bad. In fact it's kind of nice. For as long as I live - every year I celebrate, thoughts of my dad will be a part of every birthday.

Thoughts like how hard that man worked to provide for his family. Going to work, driving that truck through this crazy city day after day - The traffic, the sweltering summers, the brutal winters.

Or trying to save a few bucks by replacing an engine in our car himself in the garage.

Let me tell you about my dad, the groundskeeper. I loved to play baseball when I was a kid. Dad wasn't the manager or even a coach of my team. That just wasn't his thing. What he did do was take care of the field a few weeks out of the season. I remember him busting his tail on that park, and I'm proud to say that that field was always in the best shape of the year on weeks that my dad was in charge.

So I take comfort knowing that after all these years of hard work my father was finally able to truly rest on October 17,2010.

Dad, I mourned your death on my birthday this year. But for every future birthday I will not mourn your death. But I will celebrate your life.

We love you Pa!