J T Evergreen

My Love Affaire with Father Tomas McTavish J T Evergreen

The inevitable passing of Father Tomas McTavish, the man of whom I write, finally arrived. It was a moment I dreaded but when it came there was a calmness I did not expect. I was not present when the light faded from his eyes but I felt it from afar. A sense of unfathomable love encompassed me at the very moment of his passing which was so profound, adequate words to describe the experience fail me. Tomas spent his life dedicated to the Absolute Creator, but at the very moment of his departure from this plane, his thoughts were of me. No moment in time can be more priceless than this. I was an integral part of Tomas' life for over sixty years. Aside from the intimacy of love, laughter, tears, joy, sorrows, and the day to day living with one another, there was always the subtle presence of the Infinite, that unnameable force which drove him, supported him, and nourished him - always standing between us or so I foolishly thought. Tomas is not famous beyond the parish he served and his passing will leave no more trace of his sojourn on this earth than ripples on the surface of a pond. And yet the way of life he chose for himself may have an ever-growing influence over his fellow man so that it may eventually be realized there lived among us a very remarkable creature. As my own days come to a close, I have begun to fully realize and appreciate the incredible experience it has been to share my life with Father Tomas Lonn Whitcomb McTavish, the man with whom I had the most amazing love affair. Until we meet again, farewell my dear friend, Geno Benedetti