Keep Your Eye Upon the Donut, and Not Upon the Hole
Top 5 Larry Burk Quotes to Live Your Life by:
My grandfather was a man of wisdom and over the past decade I started keeping a document to compile the good quotes I would hear him say. Presented below are a few of my favorites, and I believe highlight the attitude and philosophy with which Lawrence Burk lived his life.
5. Keep your weight on your downhill ski.
4. As you ramble through Life, Brother,
Whatever be your goal.
Keep your eye upon the doughnut,
And not upon the hole.
3. Nobody ever got hurt at the office
2. A large extended family is the greatest luxury in life
…and the #1 Larry Burk quote to live your life by…:
1. ...Safety first!
12 Grand (aka Joy + Larry Burk’s 12 Grandchildren)
We are all so blessed to have each other and be so close - It is a true testament to Grandma and Grandpa of the type of family they built and how they showed us what is really important in life.
Our grandparents are directly responsible for the close bonds that all 12 of us share, and what an amazing legacy it is.
Experiencing Life with Grandpa
In my reflection the past few days, - It is incredible how many major life experiences I -- and all of 12 Grand -- got to share with Grandpa.
He was an incredible constant in all of our lives.
We have so many beautiful memories + experiences with him to cherish and be thankful for -- What a true treasure.
Gratitude
This is incredibly hard…. but what brings me peace for today is the profound influence he had on my life, my perspective of the world, and the lives of so many people that knew him.
This -- fills my heart with immense gratitude and an abundance of love.
It’s obviously difficult to lose someone you are so close with and then attempt to put into a few words or short minutes what that person meant to you, but I tried my best to do this for my grandfather in a letter I wrote him on his 80th birthday, and -- to close -- I’d be honored to share that with you.
April 13, 2014
Grandpa,
How can I possibly write a letter encompassing all that you and Grandma have meant to me?! You have given me and all your grandchildren so much in terms of the amazing models you two were for all of us on how we should live our lives and the values that should drive all of our decisions. What an incredible gift to give to me and all my cousins and siblings. I know you are always someone that I can count on and give me that pick up just when I need it most.
There (are) oftentimes when I come to a crossroads or even in daily situations, that I think about how you would handle the same situation, and that often leads my decision making. I know I am truly lucky to have that model for who I wanted to be, and to be so close to them throughout my life. That’s exactly what I want to create for myself and my family someday, all because of the way you are. Your insatiable work ethic, the kindness you show towards other people, the inspiration you provide to me and so many others is all part of the reason you mean so much to so many people.
I will always remember the time we had breakfast at the Menger Hotel in San Antonio.
We sat and ate breakfast for a long time, just talking about life. At one point, I asked you who the most influential people were in your life. The 1st person you named was Ben Lipshy (My grandmother’s father). You talked about his tremendous work ethic, how his morals were unshakable, and he was a friend to everyone, and not just people he was in business with. You talked about his empathy and compassion for other people. I remember our conversation so vividly because I knew that while you were describing Ben Lipshy and what he meant to you, that you could have easily been describing yourself and what you meant to me. What an amazing model of manhood to aspire to!
Thank you so much Grandpa for everything you have given us and everything you mean to all of us. I love you with all my heart!
Evan
If any of your friends or colleagues would like to make a gift in honor of Lawrence Burk, it was his wish that it be made to the Temple Emanuel General Fund.
