The following remarks were delivered at a memorial service held for Bud Rue, on October 30, 1993 at 2:00 PM in Milanville, Pennsylvania.

Tom Rue
son

In program planning at the Unitarian Universalist fellowship, my father often expressed that he particularly enjoyed "Shared Readings." More than once, on such occasions, I saw him read from this well-used copy of The Prophet. I would like to share a couple of passages:

For what is it to die but to stand naked in the wind and to melt into the sun?

And what is it to cease breathing, but to free the breath from its restless tides, that it may rise and expand and seek God unencumbered?

Only when you drink from the river of silence shall you indeed sing.

And only when you have reached the mountaintop, shall you begin to climb.

And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance.

---

Then a woman said, Speak to us of Joy and Sorrow.

And he answered:

Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.

And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears.

And how else can it be?

The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.

Is not the cup that holds your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven?

And is not the lute that soothes your spirit, the very wood that was hollowed with knives?

When you are joyous look deep into your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.

I wish I had words for my feelings. I considered not speaking today. I considered crossing my name off the list. I don't know what to say. Thank you for coming.

Home page of Tom and Carmen Rue