I went on to say that my mother is 89, that I would be taking her on a trip that would take us through Columbia and although it might be a long shot I wondered about the possibility of our visiting with Dr. McQuilkin - who had retired from the presidency of Columbia some years ago to care for his wife, Muriel after she had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's.
I also mentioned that not only did my mother really valued him in her younger years, she often refers to Finishing Well as an excellent guide in the aging process. (Note the prior sentence played a huge part in this story).
What a thrill to hear back - from none other than Robertson McQuilkin. He would be absolutely thrilled to see us. In fact he said "I have always admired your mother." Pretty cool, right?
We knew that Muriel had died and that some years ago, Dr. McQuilkin had remarried. I hoped I could meet his second wife. Although I was very excited about this, I decided to keep the anticipated visit a secret, and it was only the night before we were to be in Columbia that I told mother about the surprise.
Dr. McQuilkin met us in a Japanese garden that he has created in honor of Muriel with whom he had shared 12 years in missionary service, prior to his becoming the president of Columbia International University and then her illness.
He was eager to learn about my mother and her sisters, knew about our Aunt Thelma's death last Fall and told us about his children. I remembered their prayer card that hung in my grandparents kitchen and my mother reminded me that it was Dr. McQuilkin who preached my grandma Nesmith's 1971 funeral.
I did get to meet Deb McQuilkin who has recently received her doctorate in nursing. I was disappointed that she could not join us for lunch, but I thoroughly enjoyed the time listening to my mother and Dr. McQuilkin chat. My mother reminded him that it was his father's preaching that was instrumental in her grandfather's conversion in 1946 or 47.
It was almost time for us to leave when I told him about an incident when mother's pastor had shared Dr. McQuilkin's story of commitment to his wife with the congregation at Mandarin Presbyterian Church and how a friend of hers pointed out a man in the MPC congregation who had done much the same thing. That man is now one of my mother's dear friends.
I thought it was pretty neat that Dr. McQuilkin's story had been a part of my mother's life even today and I again said something about Finishing Well. It was then that Dr. McQuilkin quietly told me about a letter he had received from a woman in California whose lived had been influenced by that little pink book A Promise Kept.
Two days later it dawned on me. Dr. McQuilkin did not write Finishing Well. Oh me. What a faux pas.
But what a class act. He never said "you have the wrong book". He just found a way to tell me what he actually had written. By the way, he's written countless other books and still takes occasional speaking engagements.
This day will certainly be one that both my mother and I remember. If there is anything I have learned from my mother, it's to act on an idea when it comes to mind more than once. I am so glad that I sent that email to Columbia International University and that the author of A Promise Kept took my mother and me to lunch.
Quite an experience!
Tomorrow "my cousins Debbie and Diane"
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