February 19, 2001
Now it's finally time for Uncle Norman to dance
___"There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven. ... A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance."
___That ageless advice from Ecclesiastes--at once beautifully poetic and deeply spiritual--extended solace and comfort to our family last week as we celebrated the life and grieved the death of Norman Knox.
___All my life, I've felt a close bond with my Uncle Norman.
___A huge part of it was love. I knew he loved me, and I don't think I ever gave him reason to doubt my love.
___Another part was looks. For at least 30 years, I've carried a physical resemblance to him; we looked more like each other than any other inter-generational members of the family.
MARV KNOX
Editor
___And the other part is the name. I have two Uncle Normans, one on each side of the family, and one grandfather or the other always seemed to be calling me "Norman" when I was a kid. If I could carry the name as well as either of them, I would be glad to be a Norman.
___Ask anybody in the family, and they'll tell you a couple of things about Uncle Norman. He was the best singer; everybody envied his natural croon. And he was the gentle one, a sweet-spirited man in a clan prone to public displays of affection.
___"... And a time to laugh." Those ancient words brought back a wonderful memory of Uncle Norman.
___One Christmas when our generation was young, Carl and Diana, our second cousins from New York, sent us a rhythm band. We had cymbals, bells, a tambourine and almost any instrument that would make music (or noise) by banging, rubbing or shaking.
___During our "concert," Uncle Norman hopped out in the middle of Mom and Pop's living room floor and entertained us all by dancing. (I know; Baptists didn't "dance," but this was different.) He danced with every child in the room who was big enough to crawl, toddle or walk. And we laughed until our sides ached.
___Uncle Norman's spontaneous, exuberant gift of joy, laughter and dancing made wonderful Christmas memories--memories that now have eclipsed his lifetime.
___"... And a time to dance." We rejoiced in those uplifting words. For several years, the decimation of disease shackled Uncle Norman to an oxygen bottle and chained him to a chair. The physical decline that took his life but never quenched his spirit prevented him from dancing.
___" ... A time for every event under heaven." No matter what else it is, a Christian funeral is a time of rejoicing. While we cried for our loss and our sorrow, we laughed and smiled at the thought of Uncle Norman--with a healthy heart, expansive lungs and strong legs--dancing again. This time, in heaven.
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