The 24th Dooley Day. Goodness.
24 years ago, on October 18 of 2002, my little brother Dooley went home to be with Jesus. He was in a car accident and sustained significant burns and lived 25 hours after his accident. I talk more about it here if you want to read 🙂
This year, I have reflected a lot on what I think he’d be doing if he was still with us.
I think he’d have a really cool job that only a really smart & creative person could hold… Something maybe tech related? I do think he’d have a love/hate relationship, though, with tech and iPhones and all related products… I could see him loving what all they could do, but not loving being around people looking down all the time.
I think he’d be married to a no-nonsense, yet very fun, girl who keeps his nonsense in check a little bit. 😉 She would tell him to quit tinkering with the cool old cars he’s somehow procured over the years (because he’s been in the garage de, then RE, constructing the engines for hours at this point and Clint Eastwood by The Gorillas (*clean*) on repeat is starting to grind on her. She needs help prepping the meat and getting the grill hot because everyone is starting to get hungry!
I know he would be a really fun uncle to his six nieces and nephews. And I think his nieces and nephews would have a couple more cousins. I could see him being the type of guy to borrow a church van and round up all the kids and drive them to Nashville for the weekend for a Predators game. He’d talk us all into knocking off early on a Friday and joining him and the kids for the road trip. School and work can wait! Family is more important.
He’d walk like Ace Ventura every time he saw Chris from across the room. He would be so proud of Connor for all he’s done for the community. He would text Ryan every week– they’d be the friends that live far apart but don’t realize it because they are still so close. He’d probably enjoy the occasional late-night Fortnite with the old school and neighborhood buddies even if they are almost 40… Because they’re all just big kids!
He would still crush all the seasonal Reese’s products and laugh about the side effects 😉 (BACK STORY HERE!)
He’d still be funny. He’d always be sketching, teaching Rowan and Lily Ryan how to draw the best animals and cartoon characters. He’d tell us about cool music that we’d otherwise never know about. He’d be great at making up bedtime stories for his littles. He’d give really good hugs. He’d be fun to buy Christmas happies for.
Gosh, I miss him.
It’s fun to tell old Dooley stories to Price and the kids, and to imagine what he’d be doing right now. But honestly, what’s even better, is knowing that Dooley is HOME. And safe from this world. And from tech! haha He’s with our Creator amongst radiance. No sin or heartache or darkness is able to hurt his heart there. He’s rejoicing with Jesus, and able to thank Him face to face for the price He paid which allows us a seat at the table for eternity. A table that, because of Jesus, we can all join him at one day!
I find myself saying more and more, “this world is not our home.” It’s comforting to know that the drama and the heartache here in this life won’t matter in the big grand scheme of things. So today, I choose joy for the hope of what’s to come. I want to enjoy this world and love others well and share the name of Jesus everywhere I can and notice the little things. Because why not?! Those are the things that matter. And those are the things that reflect a tiny glimmer of the goodness and the beauty we have to look forward to when we spend eternity with Jesus!
Enjoy your day, my friend. Remember what really and truly matters and run after it. And if you want to eat a Reese’s product (guilt free– Thanks Dooley!) then by all means, please do that! 🙂 (I’m posting our annual Reese’s taste test to my IG page in the next day or two so be sure to check that out!)
Thanks for being here and for helping honor the memory of Ryan Patrick “Dooley” Miller! You are so loved and so appreciated. Leaving a few pictures and a really great newspaper article here for you to enjoy. XOXOXOX and please remember, YOU ARE SO LOVED.
