I talked to my Dad yesterday about Paul and it came up that lots of people wrote lots of awesome things to us and about him in those first few weeks. We thought it would be nice to have one place where all of those words were saved. Where as we start to heal, we can go back and reminisce and re-read the beautiful words that people wrote during those first, raw weeks. So as I’m able to do so, I’m going to go back and find some of those amazing Facebook posts and emails. I might add the longer ones here, but I would prefer to add them in the Guestbook section if I have the writer’s email. If you’re one of the writers, I would appreciate it greatly if you would add it in the guestbook for me. Just click on the Guestbook link at PaulNatzke.com and cut and paste your message to us that week. If you write the date that you originally wrote it, I’ll go in and edit the submission date, so eventually this will be a chronicle of how we all processed this. <3
So, all of that being said, this is what my Dad wrote the week after Paul died. I think it’s beautiful and fitting with Paul’s birthday and Christmas coming up.
PAUL’S MOJO
It’s always been noticed but in the past week it has become incredibly obvious that Paul
impacted and often emotionally touched a large percentage of people whose path he crossed.
I have been trying to define this impact and I haven’t gotten much beyond words like spiritual
or magic. Therefore I’ve decided to simply call it Paul’s Mojo. While the hours of thought didn’t
resulted in a definition it has resulted in some interesting insights which I’d like to share with
those impacted by Paul’s Mojo.
Paul had a flawed body. He couldn’t walk. Dr. Benny once used the term “noncompliant
brain”. Many tributes referred to Paul’s words of inspiration which were made with a partially
paralyzed voice box. His caring eyes often were not tracking together. The unbelievable smile
came from a partially paralyzed face. Clearly Paul’s Mojo didn’t come from his body but
instead from the inner Paul. Some would call this his spirit, some his heart, some his soul but
I’d just call it the Paul we all loved. The main contribution of Paul’s body during his short life
was that the medical problems exposed many people to the real Paul. For many of you, your
role was to treat Paul’s physical issues and what you received in return was something quite
amazing .
In a frustrating irony in death Paul’s body became a shining light. The contribution of Paul’s
organs to others is a great example of Paul’s Mojo at work in Jim, Kathie and Paige. It’s a
stretch for most of our beliefs that Paul’s Mojo will pass on with these physical organs. So I
don’t necessarily think Paul’s Mojo went with his organs but I absolutely believe it has gone to
each of us who were touched by Paul during his life.
I can’t resist from closing with a small dose of preaching. While I couldn’t find the words to
define Paul’s Mojo we all know what it is and we now are the keepers of it. Like his organs let
us keep it alive and spread it to others.
Grandpa