Last weekend a Hermantown man died of a heart attack shortly after finishing the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon. I found the story about his life in Tuesday's Duluth News Tribune to be captivating, heartbreaking and, since you never know when your time is up, an admonishment to live life to the fullest right now.
The photo on the front page of the paper showed a very pleasant fellow, a mere 64 years young, smiling and waving during the race just hours before his eyes closed for the last time. He appeared to be having the time of his life.
Nobody knew he was running with ticking time bombs: a clogged artery and a blood clot. He learned he had another grandson on the way just minutes before the race and had a great deal to live for.
By all accounts, he was dearly loved and will be dearly missed by family and friends.
"The most giving man I have ever known," is how one friend described Norman Ruth. He was also very humble, and was not one to back down from a challenge. Reading between the lines, and studying his picture, makes me think he was one of those treasures who quietly helps keep the community humming and often worked in the background, unseen and unheard. He was not one to go after lots of attention.
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He retired from employment earlier this year and, like so many people, he didn't make it long into his retirement. It really is astonishing to consider how relatively common it is for people to pass away shortly after retiring from lifelong employment.
Norm's experience and life is a real kick in the pants for those of us left behind, to not put all our eggs in the retirement basket. It appears that he lived a full life on a daily basis.
It is all too common, however, for people to invest all their energies into this future blissful day when they no longer have to clock in, when the mortgage will be paid in full and when the 401(k) is chock full of cash like a getaway car.
Golly, I hope I'm not living like that, with so much of my energy going into house projects, feeding the mortgage and the like.
How are your true long-term investments looking? Are you getting your hands dirty in the garden, cultivating friendships, building relationships in your neighborhood, and are you involved in your church? Do you smile much? How about laughter, that great healer? Is there much of that in your life or in your family's lives? I find these last two can be canaries in the coal mine -- a real bellwether of your condition.
Just some food for thought for those who aren't as far along on the journey, who maybe have very young families, new mortgages and are starting to settle into our patterns: It is useful to be mindful of the patterns in our lives; do whatever it takes to break free from them if necessary.
Perhaps one may need to downsize in numerous areas, such as being a one-car or no-car family, or jettisoning the large house and enjoying a smaller mortgage, for instance. Simple things like spending quality time with your wife and children can easily be left behind when you're stuck on the treadmill of paying bills.
I would like to extend warm condolences to the Ruth family as they grieve the loss of a pillar in their lives. I am also grateful that they were so willing to share some of Norm's life and experience with the community.
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Monthly Budgeteer columnist Eddy Gilmore is a freelance writer, father of twins and husband of one. He can be reached via e-mail at eddyg_123@yahoo.com .
