This week marks four years since my dear friend Ruth Albert passed away. I held her hand as she took her final breath, at the age of 102.
A few hours after she passed, the funeral hearse arrived to remove Ruth’s body from her home. As they rolled Ruth out on a stretcher, my son crumpled into my arms, sobbing bitterly. After the hearse pulled away, my family and I lingered outside, silently, taking in the loss.
Neighbors approached, knowing our close friendship with Ruth, wanting to acknowledge the loss. However the pain was too deep. I had no words. Only tears.
👵🏻
However that next morning- I did speak. At her funeral. Graveside. Surrounded by 150 close friends and family. I connected with the crowd. Shared memories. And spoke about our loving connection. I even got people to laugh. Amidst the tears.
Speaking at a funeral can be daunting. However my eulogy came out better than I ever imagined possible. And felt so good knowing I brought comfort to Ruth’s family.
Each year, before Ruth’s birthday, I bought out the store’s entire supply of candles.
Ruth’s 100th Birthday invitation, notice the fine print: “No gifts please. At 100 you have it all.”
In life, we all face hard moments. Loss. Change. The unexpected.
That day, standing at Ruth’s grave, I spoke with clarity, warmth, and strength.
Not because I had the perfect eulogy memorized- but because I’d spent years learning how to say more with less.
When the moment came, I didn’t need many words. I just needed the right ones.
👵🏻
Here’s the thing: people are busy. They don’t have time for long emails, long speeches, or long-winded stories. So practice this skill: communicate with clarity and get straight to the point.
In the end, it’s not about the length of your words- it’s about the impact they leave.
If you’d enjoy reading more about Ruth – her humor, her spirit, and the lasting impact she made, here are five of my favorite short stories I’ve previously shared on LinkedIn. (Click each title)
STORY 1: The noisiest birthday party — ever!
STORY 2: “We’ll leave the light on for you”
STORY 3: My model retired at 102
STORY 4: I lost my good friend – yesterday
STORY 5: Don’t turn off the lights
Thank you for letting me share a bit of Ruth’s story with you.
