Come Home...

Andy Griffith died this week. Like many other people, his passing has caused me to consider his unique impact on my life. And like many others, I considered writing about it. I considered writing about the wise sheriff of Mayberry, of the loving father, of the loyal friend. But there are many other better writers who are doing the job. So, I'll just cut to the point.

This morning I was looking through the onscreen TV guide for something to watch and saw "Matlock". It had already started, but I thought it would be interesting to see Andy in action and do a little reminiscing of my own. As I changed the channel a commercial was finishing, so I just looked back to my computer for a moment. The show returned with Andy (Ben Matlock) sitting at his kitchen table. He was quietly plucking a banjo and singing an old familiar hymn:

...tenderly Jesus is calling, calling for you and for me; see on the portals He's watching and waiting, waiting for you and for me.

Come home, come home, ye who are weary come home...

I can't think of a better tribute.

P.S. For those who may not have known, Andy Griffith was a devote Christian and early in life considered being a minister. He instead graduated with a degree in music and became a music teacher before going on to become the actor we all knew so well.