About Tom

Building a Dream...

Instead of wishing for things you cannot keep see if this sounds like more fun

Don’t wish for things that you cannot keep!

Lets use the most common two big examples. Draw parallels to whatever you wish you had that you currently don’t have!

Let’s do money and health..

How many people are sayin, “I just wish I had a good winning lotto ticket!”?

People who win the lotto can’t keep it!

How do I know that?

Because they typically lose it!

They never learned how to get it so when they get it they lose it!

If you learn how to get money yourself you’ll probably not lose it you could get even more of it. You could leave it behind for your kids and grand kids inheritance and then they can lose it because they never learned how to get it..LoL

The other big one wished for is Health.

What if you’re riddled with disease?

Diabetes, Cancer, Inflammation, -itis, hypertension, Cholesterol etc..

People are very lifestyle disease riddled.

And then they are wishing for really great health. But then they can’t keep it because they never changed their life style.

BECOME the person who can CREATE Health.

Become the person who can gently heal and detox on a daily basis.

Every day we are exposed to toxins. That’s a fact of life. We have to negate that and do better than the toxins so we are on the side of health.

You learn how to go through that deal, learn how to feed your mind the right ideas, how to think the right thoughts, learn how to eat properly, how to minimize or annihilate stress, the kind of working out you should be doing, how you should be evolving your workouts based on your progress with your own fitness your own health and natural healers and immune system, you be the person that can learn those things and then you stack the deck and put the odds extremely in your favor that you’re probably going to be really healthy your whole life.

Pass on deeply in your sleep at a ripe old age without rotting to death the last two thirds of your life like how most people do.

Draw parallels to anything else you can think of you can possibly imagine that maybe you’ve wished for but if you had it you know you wouldn’t be able to keep it anyway because you never went through the deal of learning HOW to get it.

The most valuable thing in accomplishing a goal and getting something is WHO you become in the process to get it.

Once you’re there and you have whatever it is then celebrate for a while, but, you can only stay there for so long and then you have to get back on the train of learning again and maybe set another goal that creates another recognizable from where you are now and where you want to be with your new goal.

Now you have to BECOME more again and the learning and growing continues!

You’re basically graduating to a better quality of problems to solve to close those gaps and consistently become more.

It boils down to having an innate CRAVING to learn and hold oneself responsible for whatever happens and where ever you’re at right now.

It’s not the economy keeping you back or your boss.

It’s not bad health keeping you back, it’s not other people breaking promises keeping you back, nobodys making you act a certain way..

How many times do we say, “So and so makes me feel ______”? We do that more than we should!

We rationalize things all the time to make us feel better about ourselves because it can be hard and scary to have some real reflection and be responsible for our lives. It’s more productive to say to ourselves, “I can’t be responsible for what other people are doing and saying but I’m responsible for how I respond to what other people are doing and saying and I’m responsible for my thoughts, for solving my problems, and for becoming the person I want to become that can accomplish my dreams.

You want to be financially free so you can do what you want with your time?

If it was just given to you, you wouldn’t be able to keep it because you never learned how to get it so therefore that money would be transferred over time back to people more financially intelligent than you without you even knowing about it and you’d probably blame other people and never take responsibility for never becoming the person who could get your own financial freedom and keep it.

If you OWN IT and have a sincere LOVE for learning then you can get become financially free and you can accomplish a goal whatever that is.

That’s a life lesson!

Feel free to share this. Comment and LOVE up on it. Don’t “like”! Like is so impotent when there’s a love button right next to it!

If you love health and fitness like I do and you love learning how to become financially free and healthy connect with me. I’ve been doing this since august of 2007! Message me I’ll show you what I’ve got and if you like it we’ll do it. Bye for now.

-Tom

P.s. If you’d like to work with me I don’t charge any fees I’m not going to sell you something you don’t want or need: http://workwithtom.fireyourboss.xyz

follow your heart

Have you enjoyed this? Was it helpful in breaking some circular thought patterns you might have been stuck in? Do you know anyone who could benefit from this? Sharing is caring. Share with friends and family.

Was this helpful? If so, I would greatly appreciate it if you commented and shared on Facebook and other Social Media, too. You might also enjoy Fire Your Boss & 31 Ways to Raise Money Now.

If you enjoyed my blog you might LOVE my YouTube video about changing one thing, the direction of your cash-flow, to change Everything:

Since my dads passing I’ve been unreserved about my vulnerabilities

If I need to cry I cry.

If I have a bad day I show it to whoever is there with a positive aim to heal.

If I do something dumb it’s out in the open where I want it to be.

When I score a victory through the ashes of something that started poorly it will be on display so no one can have permission in my example to be a quitter.

Ya know what doesn’t inspire anyone to do anything?

Playing small.

Afraid to dream.

Afraid to make mistakes.

Quitting.

Excuses.

Ego tripping.

Everyone already knows how to act like a loser they don’t need you or I showing them.

Let’s show people how to be human, how to THINK BIG, DREAM BIG, cry, make mistakes, learn, grow, don’t keep it from people…

I hope my sharing all this stuff inspires you to be unafraid to be unreserved about all of who you are, too, and to dream bigger than you have before and just be unreserved completely about the process of making your beautiful dreams a beautiful reality.

Put it all on display the good bad and ugly it inspires people.

Too many people choose happiness or money.

Choose BOTH.

YES AND YES is rich.

One or the other is Poor.

Feel free to share.

-Tom

P.s. If you’d like to work with me I don’t charge any fees I’m not going to sell you something you don’t want or need: http://workwithtom.fireyourboss.xyz

follow your heart

Have you enjoyed this? Was it helpful in breaking some circular thought patterns you might have been stuck in? Do you know anyone who could benefit from this? Sharing is caring. Share with friends and family.

Was this helpful? If so, I would greatly appreciate it if you commented and shared on Facebook and other Social Media, too. You might also enjoy Fire Your Boss & 31 Ways to Raise Money Now.

If you enjoyed my blog you might LOVE my YouTube video about changing one thing, the direction of your cash-flow, to change Everything:

I was supposed to have arthritis 14 years ago

I still don’t have it 🙂

My doctor didn’t tell me about the healing power of Simply eating more plants and Less meat and Dairy.

Maybe he was on the secret payroll of Private health insurance and drug companies to play dumb with the quality of my life?

My joints and muscles feels so good that I literally spring out of bed each morning even if I’m feeling emotionally sad I can physically bounce around at any time with great energy Even first thing in the morning when everyone else is sore and achy and popping pills.

The same organic plant-based products I use I sell also.

The same ones that help me grow more youthful as I get older in years.

I had my dad and mom use the same stuff.

My dad lived another 9 plus years because of it according to his doctor.

My mom I still have hopefully for many more years.

-Tom

P.s. If you’d like to work with me I don’t charge any fees I’m not going to sell you something you don’t want or need: http://workwithtom.fireyourboss.xyz

follow your heart

Have you enjoyed this? Was it helpful in breaking some circular thought patterns you might have been stuck in? Do you know anyone who could benefit from this? Sharing is caring. Share with friends and family.

Was this helpful? If so, I would greatly appreciate it if you commented and shared on Facebook and other Social Media, too. You might also enjoy Fire Your Boss & 31 Ways to Raise Money Now.

If you enjoyed my blog you might LOVE my YouTube video about changing one thing, the direction of your cash-flow, to change Everything:

Fire your boss so you can watch the sunrise and frolic in nature without hopping on your human hamster wheel for your hamster paycheck :-)

But Tom I love my job when you love what you do you are free!”

Love of hard work and dedication is a wonderfully positive moral character trait and is different than a job which is a preconceived notion commonly confused with work.

A JOB gives you an illusion of safety. Hard work is the actions that you partake in to continue your physical, emotional, spiritual and mental development. A JOB is external, hard work is an internal character trait.

For my Curious friends… The only income that creates freedom of time is passive and residual. So Google research it if you’re interested in being a free human being. I have lots of blog posts and videos about it if you’d like I’m happy to share what I’ve taught on the topic matter.

-Tom

P.s. If you’d like to work with me I don’t charge any fees I’m not going to sell you something you don’t want or need: http://workwithtom.fireyourboss.xyz

follow your heart

Have you enjoyed this? Was it helpful in breaking some circular thought patterns you might have been stuck in? Do you know anyone who could benefit from this? Sharing is caring. Share with friends and family.

Was this helpful? If so, I would greatly appreciate it if you commented and shared on Facebook and other Social Media, too. You might also enjoy Fire Your Boss & 31 Ways to Raise Money Now.

If you enjoyed my blog you might LOVE my YouTube video about changing one thing, the direction of your cash-flow, to change Everything:

Most people aren’t going to be inspired to live inspired lives no matter what they read on Facebook

But, some people are!

Most people feel just fine living out the status quo designed for them by somebody else and the only time they tend to get agitated is when someone points it out.

I might be wrong for pointing it out! Who knows. I certainly like pointing it out though 🙂

I think a lot of us tend to take things way too seriously when it’s not supposed to be and we take things way too lightly when we are supposed to be taking things more seriously.

Just maybe the best thing to ask for is to learn when to take life seriously and when not to.

I’ve been guilty of this just like anyone else. Sometimes I’m guilty and Incredibly dumb at the same time lol

What I’m getting out of life so far is to love, be loved, make lots of money openly and proudly, express yourself without reservations, freedom without the expense of someone else’s freedom, reciprocal relationships whenever possible, learn to become closer to each others Souls than our physical bodies, get away from ordinary earned income, make lots of residual and passive income, and make lots of money brazenly in the face of anyone who dare hold a negative energy towards money so stupidly so.

Yes all of these things is what I’m getting out of a meaningful life so far. I can’t wait to see what else I learned in my next 40 years or however much longer I’m here for.

-Tom

P.s. If you’d like to work with me I don’t charge any fees I’m not going to sell you something you don’t want or need: http://workwithtom.fireyourboss.xyz

follow your heart

Have you enjoyed this? Was it helpful in breaking some circular thought patterns you might have been stuck in? Do you know anyone who could benefit from this? Sharing is caring. Share with friends and family.

Was this helpful? If so, I would greatly appreciate it if you commented and shared on Facebook and other Social Media, too. You might also enjoy Fire Your Boss & 31 Ways to Raise Money Now.

If you enjoyed my blog you might LOVE my YouTube video about changing one thing, the direction of your cash-flow, to change Everything:

Are people skills needed to build a home business?

I have an extremely difficult time connecting with people.

My people skills are all but nonexistent.

I have no idea what to say to people in Social settings and I don’t like how that feels.

I don’t wear my lack of people skills with a badge of honor.

Still, I learned how to build a business from scratch in my precious minutes of spare time and haven’t needed a job since February of 2010.

There are always going to be people who want to get healthy, make better money, have more control of their time, be with their family instead of pictures of their family, become financially free, there is always going to be a need for more people to start their own personal businesses.

My people skills are so poor that MAYBE only one person at a time will be inspired to contact me about how they can get involved.

Thankfully I was able to do this only one person at a time.

I think that’s why this is so good because it’s one person at a time even in short increments at a time.

When I started I only had about 20 minutes a day that typically had to be broken up into 5 or 10 minute increments at a time.

A registered nurse recently did it in only 2 minutes at a time on her potty break at her job.

I’m in the midst of writing a new course I’m going to call the 5 minute potty break trainer to help people who want some help at retaking control of their time.

Shy and socially awkward people are typically the ones who do really well here which surprised me because I thought only the outgoing and socially advanced people could do this.

If you want to get involved feel free to private message me.

-Tom

P.s. If you’d like to work with me I don’t charge any fees I’m not going to sell you something you don’t want or need: http://workwithtom.fireyourboss.xyz

follow your heart

Have you enjoyed this? Was it helpful in breaking some circular thought patterns you might have been stuck in? Do you know anyone who could benefit from this? Sharing is caring. Share with friends and family.

Was this helpful? If so, I would greatly appreciate it if you commented and shared on Facebook and other Social Media, too. You might also enjoy Fire Your Boss & 31 Ways to Raise Money Now.

If you enjoyed my blog you might LOVE my YouTube video about changing one thing, the direction of your cash-flow, to change Everything:

Debt Free Does not Equal Financially Free

If you have no debt whatsoever, none, are you free?

No you’re not.

You have these bills that keep showing up every month.

Therefor you have Residual bills.

If you don’t have residual money to cover those residual bills you’re not free.

What if you stopped showing up at your job?

That turns off your income obviously because you stopped showing up.

So the income is going to turn off but you still have these bills that keep showing up every month and you have no debt.

Your time is still coupled to your income which means you don’t have time freedom.

So, that’s not to take away from being debt free if you are debt free.

No consumer debt, you own your house outright no mortgage, no car payments, no credit card debt and so on and so forth that’s awesome! Not to take away from that at all!

If you want to be a free human being where you’ve got your time de-coupled from your income you need residual and passive income.

You have residual bills so you might as well have residual income to de-couple how you spend your time from your income and then at last you’re a free human being unshackled from the chains that bound you to the dollar.

You could actually be in debt.. Let’s say you’re a million dollars in debt (extreme example but to make a point) but you have an annual residual income of two million dollars.

You’re a free human being!

Versus somebody who has no debt and has no residual income but they have residual bills.

The person with a million dollars of debt with two million dollars residual income is actually way more free than the person with no debt and no residual income.

I hope that makes sense.

If you have any questions please feel free to comment below, private message me if that’s more comfortable I don’t care I’m open and honest.

If you are debt free celebrate it but don’t confuse it for financial freedom or being free because most debt free people are still chained and shackled to the dollar or they can’t pay their bills and eat.

I’m offering a point of view that is way outside the box of what just about anybody is thinking about.

If you love the concept of being a free human being, free with your time, time freedom to be able to do what you want, it doesn’t matter if you love your job and you live a life style that doesn’t interfere with your job.

If you can’t de-couple your time from your income you’re not a free human being with how you’re going to spend your time.

The only thing that can give that to you is residual passive income and it’s something that can be built up in anybodys spare time.

One of the hallmarks of residual money is it can be built up even if you’ve just got twenty minutes a day like my start was when I started at only twenty minutes a day. It’s all I had time for in the beginning.

I know people who’ve done it on the potty!

I’m actually writing a five minute potty break trainer.

That’s what I’m going to call it.

I’m teaching people how to build residual money in 5 minute increments.

I got inspired by somebody who did it in two minute increments. But that’s a bit extreme.

So it’s possible even in two minutes at a time but I’m going to do at least five minutes at a time.

Everybody gets at least a five minute potty break at work so.

I’m really looking forward to having that published and that will be out soon.

Feel free to ask me about that as well if you wanna be on a list of people that I make aware of as soon as it gets published.

It’s going to be a great training.

Browse around my website.

I have Thousands of videos and blog posts about anything to do with health, wealth, freedom, natural healing and organics and all those kinds of things.

Hope you enjoyed this post.

Share it. Like it. Comment below if you wish and I’ll answer any questions that you have.

Bye for now.

Muah!!

-Tom

P.s. If you’d like to work with me I don’t charge any fees I’m not going to sell you something you don’t want or need: http://workwithtom.fireyourboss.xyz

follow your heart

Have you enjoyed this? Was it helpful in breaking some circular thought patterns you might have been stuck in? Do you know anyone who could benefit from this? Sharing is caring. Share with friends and family.

Was this helpful? If so, I would greatly appreciate it if you commented and shared on Facebook and other Social Media, too. You might also enjoy Fire Your Boss & 31 Ways to Raise Money Now.

If you enjoyed my blog you might LOVE my YouTube video about changing one thing, the direction of your cash-flow, to change Everything:

Challenge You Without Stressing You

I FEEL emotional pain.

I feel happiness and sadness in the full scope of that spectrum of emotions.

I feel DEEPLY but WITHOUT stressing most of the time if not all the time.

There is a worth while discernment to be made between emotional sadness that we respond to with stress and emotional sadness that we respond to without stress.

I think it’s HEALTHY to have a full scope of emotions that you FEEL deeply.

The worthwhile journey is to learn to feel all emotions stress free including the painful emotions.

Life is like an orchestra.

I love this analogy.

There are happy notes and sad notes. It’s a mix. If you just hear happy notes all the time it would get annoying. If you just hear sad notes all the time it would get annoying. If you get a good mix of happy, sad, and everything in between then it’s a more rich experience.

You can get that full spectrum of emotions without stressing about it just like an orchestra can play a full concert and it doesn’t have to be a complete jumbled stress mess that destroys itself.

The wide spectrum enhances the experience.

You can walk out of the concert with a feeling of WOW… What did I just experience??? That’s Living! And you didn’t stress out about ANY of those wonderful ranges of emotions did you?

What if you approached lifes full scope of emotions that way?

What happens when you feel good?

It’s easy to respond good when you’re feeling good.

What about when you’re emotionally hurting?

Sometimes it’s easy to stress out about it and that induces the aging process. It makes you feel older over time. You’re going to feel older and look older. When you learn to condition your brain to feel without stress… when I’m emotionally in pain I can stress about it or I can just feel it and then bring myself back as it happens because life is kind of like a roller coaster that way.

Peaks and valleys.

We can have those peaks and valleys without stress, just FEEL and LIVE.

I think those peaks and valleys are actually very good for us when we mature ourselves emotionally to the point where we don’t have to stress about it. We can just feel it and we can be open with each other about it. We can talk about it and be vulnerable because there is a lot of power in that. It’s gonna go a long way towards helping you look and feel younger.

I’m going to go very briefly over the other major variables that contribute toward looking and feeling younger as we get older.

Sleep!

Regular deep sleep because that’s when the brain releases growth hormone and heals the body from the days stressors and other things you need daily and nightly healing from.

Eat lots of plants!

Whenever somebody compliments my skin, or how young I look, it’s an automatic gut response at this point. I simply smile and say, “Thanks! I eat a LOT of plants”. When they learn I’m in my 40s they are practically in shock. A lot of people guess I’m only 24. I don’t know why that weird number is so common to guess but it certainly makes me happy to tell them I eat a lot of plants and THANK YOU. They always giggle when I say that but it gets them thinking, too.

Regular physical activity!

Get in regular exercise that’s going to challenge you without stressing you.

I’m going to add the same nuance to exercise that I added to emotional pain.

Yoga is great for teaching people to find the calmness within the storm. It goes in alignment what I was talking about in the beginning of this post. You can feel emotional pain without stressing about it and just let it be part of enhancing your life in this adventure that you have in this physical world. With exercise it’s the same thing. You find your point where you’re being challenged so that you get more fit and more healthy but you find the calness in that storm when you’re doing a move, holding a pose, or whatever and its uncomfortable. Find that calmness in that storm man!

That’s certainly gonna go a long way towards looking and feeling younger as you get older.

I’m spring loaded!

All my joints feel like they did when I was twelve!

I’m on no medications.

I was suppose to have arthritis when I was 26. Today, in my 40s, not only do I NOT have arthritis, I jump out of bed every morning! Not because I’m happy. Sometimes I am sometimes I’m not. Just as a mechanical function I can spring into action out of a seated position and my joints feel like they did when I was twelve, literally. No exaggeration.

That’s pretty cool!

No medication, I eat a lot of plants, I get regular deep sleep, I get regular challenging exercise, and I feel the full spectrum of emotions without stressing when I’m sad.

When you are able to push yourself hard in your workouts and learn to find that calmness in the storm it translates into every day functional life.

When things in life get stressful or emotionally painful you learn to find the calmness within the storm. When you can find that calmness in the storm you’re just gonna be more productive. You’re gonna respond better to lifes challenges and emotional pain.

Sometimes we tend to do as humans, we take a disastrous situation and we create another disaster from the disaster because we don’t find the calmness in the storm. Instead we stress out about it and that tends to multiply the problem where we take an already messy situation and make it messier. Instead of that let’s respond with finding calmness in the storm. We can respond better.

Pretty cool stuff !

I hope you enjoy this post.

Please share this if you know some people that need to hear this.

We all need to hear things like this.

It would be a happier world if ideas like these were more commonly being floated around for people to absorb.

I need to hear stuff like this too so I study great ideas regularly.

How else do you think I’m able to keep coming up with all these posts? =)

Comment below with something that you do to help yourself and to help other people around you.

-Tom

P.s. If you’d like to work with me I don’t charge any fees I’m not going to sell you something you don’t want or need: http://workwithtom.fireyourboss.xyz

follow your heart

Have you enjoyed this? Was it helpful in breaking some circular thought patterns you might have been stuck in? Do you know anyone who could benefit from this? Sharing is caring. Share with friends and family.

Was this helpful? If so, I would greatly appreciate it if you commented and shared on Facebook and other Social Media, too. You might also enjoy Fire Your Boss & 31 Ways to Raise Money Now.

If you enjoyed my blog you might LOVE my YouTube video about changing one thing, the direction of your cash-flow, to change Everything:

A Spring in Your Step..

I’m gonna share some things that I’ve been doing for a really long time now and if you’re physically missing that spring in your step because of sore joints and muscles commonly associated with aging maybe I’ll share something that can help you out or someone you know that you can share this with.

It’s not really an emotional spring I’m talking about.

I have a mix of happiness and sadness that I live with I deeply feel both sides of that emotional spectrum.

The spring in my step I’m talking about is the feeling of every time I step down, I sit down, I get up out of a seated position, or a squat, or the fact I can squat at all, it’s a physical spring that connects to an emotional feeling of feeling really well and healthy.

I’m on zero medications.

I have no discomfort whatsoever and so every morning when I wake up literally I’d just kind of bounce out of bed.

It’s not like an oh I’m so happy all the time kind of bounce or spring.

It’s just my health and my joints feel so good.

14 years ago I was suppose to have arthritis and 14 years later not only do I not have arthritis but I’m in my 40s now and I have the spring in my step that I’ve been rambling on about!

Here’s what I’m doing that I believe is responsible for my not aging the way that most people age and the fact I was I had a predisposition to where I should have had arthritis 14 years ago and I still don’t have it.

My Dr. who told me this did not mention anything about nutrition let alone certain kinds of nutrition that do different things to the human body.

He didn’t tell me about the effect of deep sleep or deep sleep at all. We didn’t have that conversation.

He didn’t tell me about minimizing stress or eliminating stress. We never had that conversation let alone talking about it.

It makes me wonder if my Dr. was on the secret payroll of private health insurance companies and PhRMA companies who make their money managing everything and curing nothing.

So my diet I changed to a plant based whole food diet.

I get good sound sleep every night.

I have things I could be stressing about like anyone else but I choose not to have that stress response anyone. It’s like a survival tactic. Literally 90 percent of diseases generally comes from stress. I’ve heard many experts talk about it and go on to say that it’s even more important than what we eat.

There are plenty of people I know that eat squeaky clean but they’re stressed out all the time from a bad spouse, a bad job, they’re pulling their hair out from their heads and suddenly they get cancer and can’t figure out why.

It’s stress man ya gotta eliminate stress and get good deep sleep every night and then you also have to eat a plant based whole food diet that works for you.

Then you don’t have to age the way that most people do.

Tony Horton said aging is for people who don’t know any better.

I think he’s right by objective measurements that show he is right.

It’s really about stacking the deck in your favor because we’ll never have absolute 100% control.

Anybody that writes me or comments in this thread about how you could still get sick even if you do everything right, well, then you didn’t real this post all the way through because I’m saying it right now about stacking the odds significantly in your favor because we’ll never have complete control but we do control how we respond to situations to make them less stressful, or no stress, no matter how bad the situation was and we have decisions over what we put into our mouth and things like that.

If sleep is a problem that could be tricky but you can certainly go down certain paths to figuring that out so that you can eventually get a really good night sleep if you suffer from something that gets in the way of that.

I hope that helps you.

My website I’ve furnished with tons of this stuff.

Thousands of pieces of content all to do with health, healing, wealth, chronic disease, chronic debt etc..

tom birkenmeyer dot com

Last but not least for a very long time now I drink a very dense superfood whole food plant based shake.

I drink it every day for many years at least one meal per day.

Truth be told I do two most days because I really love the way it tastes it’s quite delicious

It has gone a long way in supporting me towards living free of any aches, pains, or discomforts whatsoever.

Being in my 40s now I was suppose to have arthritis 14 years ago and it never happened.

If I have anything to do with it, it never will happen so there you have it.

Feel free to share this. Like it. comment. If you’ve got some other ideas too that can add to this I’d love to learn from you too about how NOT to age the way most people age.

People think it’s normal to age with aches and pains.

It’s not normal. It’s common.

So if you know more please share and expand all of our minds =)

Share this post because I’m sure you know some people that would get some value from what I just shared with you.

Bye for now,

-Tom

P.s. If you’d like to work with me I don’t charge any fees I’m not going to sell you something you don’t want or need: http://workwithtom.fireyourboss.xyz

follow your heart

Have you enjoyed this? Was it helpful in breaking some circular thought patterns you might have been stuck in? Do you know anyone who could benefit from this? Sharing is caring. Share with friends and family.

Was this helpful? If so, I would greatly appreciate it if you commented and shared on Facebook and other Social Media, too. You might also enjoy Fire Your Boss & 31 Ways to Raise Money Now.

If you enjoyed my blog you might LOVE my YouTube video about changing one thing, the direction of your cash-flow, to change Everything:

When the tough get going..

Quitting is common when the going gets tough.

When we were kids we have these big dreams that we allow others to beat out of us as we grow into adults.

Sometimes we have to put a filter in our brain and consciously choose what we’re gonna accept and what we’re gonna reject.

A lot of us have moments in our lives when we are thinking really big and then tough things happen, because that’s what happens when you think really big, and we shrink backwards into thinking small again.

That’s what happens when you think big! You get bigger challenges things become really tough.

If you think back to think small the challenges might become smaller and maybe easier to accomplish small goals.

Maybe we go back to thinking smaller and dreaming smaller as a way to make it easier to live with ourselves for being a quitter, or in some cases, a non starter.

Why not make your dream so important to you that you’re eager to go through the tougher challenges to make it happen because your heart would break not to.

I think the whole purpose of those tougher challenges that seem to happen when we dream and think bigger is to force you to have to get the skills, the emotional maturity, and spiritual growth you need to be able to get what you want and fulfill that promise you made to yourself and maybe to other people.

That kind of dreaming you did when you were a child gets a common response when you grow into an adult, “it’s so hard so maybe if I just shrink back a little bit and it doesn’t have to be this great or that big and the thinking can be a little bit smaller I can scale back here and there so that should be easier and then maybe I can do it when my dream is small enough.”

Maybe instead of chipping away at your self esteem in the long run it’s much easier to go through the deal of figuring stuff out.

Instead of shrinking your dreams so you don’t have to grow yourself you could grow your-self so you don’t have to shrink your dreams.

You don’t have to become anything to be nothing.

It’s time to go through the deal of figuring out how to make your big dreams a reality.

The only thing more beautiful than a beautiful dream is a beautiful reality.

If you dig this kind of stuff my website is Tom Birkenmeyer Dot Com. I’m full of it! Ideas and philosophies!!

Feel free to share this. Maybe you know somebody who just needs to hear something like this

When the going get tough you have two options. Shrink or Grow.

Shrinking means you don’t have to become anything more than you already are. No growth. No expansion of your brain. No creative thought. It keeps you lazy. It’s emotionally immature. It’s poor. A temporary illusion of “easy” because over time the real damage comes when you realize you’ve been chipping away at yourself all this time. When you chose to shrink instead of grow you’re under the illusion of making it easier to live with yourself for being a quitter.

When you chose to GROW you have to unleash the power of your human spirit to get creative, learn new things, grow up emotionally, battle laziness, staves off dementia such as alzheimer’s, it’s rich. Instead of making lazy statements you begin to ask rich questions such as asking what books you might need to read, what webinars and seminars to attend, what teachers to teach you, maybe what classes to take, what mistakes can teach you, what kind of a student and action taker you wanna be, the kind of person you want to become.

Now these challenges are just things to figure out instead of road blocks to keep you back.

That’s much better than shrinking backwards don’t you agree?

I think so.

It’s even easier I’d say than subscribing to the illusion that shrinking is easier because you pay for it with the quality of your life.

Reminds me of a great philosophy…

Go for a worth while life not an easy one.

As it turns out the worth while life is easier than the delusional “easy” life.

Don’t you think?

-Tom

P.s. If you’d like to work with me I don’t charge any fees I’m not going to sell you something you don’t want or need: http://workwithtom.fireyourboss.xyz

follow your heart

Have you enjoyed this? Was it helpful in breaking some circular thought patterns you might have been stuck in? Do you know anyone who could benefit from this? Sharing is caring. Share with friends and family.

Was this helpful? If so, I would greatly appreciate it if you commented and shared on Facebook and other Social Media, too. You might also enjoy Fire Your Boss & 31 Ways to Raise Money Now.

If you enjoyed my blog you might LOVE my YouTube video about changing one thing, the direction of your cash-flow, to change Everything:

Put a Spring in your Step Fountain of YOUTH style

I’m gonna share some things that I’ve been doing for a really long time now and if you’re physically missing that spring in your step because of sore joints and muscles commonly associated with aging maybe I’ll share something that can help you out or someone you know that you can share this with.

It’s not really an emotional spring I’m talking about.

I have a mix of happiness and sadness that I live with I deeply feel both sides of that emotional spectrum.

The spring in my step I’m talking about is the feeling of every time I step down, I sit down, I get up out of a seated position, or a squat, or the fact I can squat at all, it’s a physical spring that connects to an emotional feeling of feeling really well and healthy.

I’m on zero medications.

I have no discomfort whatsoever and so every morning when I wake up literally I’d just kind of bounce out of bed.

It’s not like an oh I’m so happy all the time kind of bounce or spring.

It’s just my health and my joints feel so good.

14 years ago I was suppose to have arthritis and 14 years later not only do I not have arthritis but I’m in my 40s now and I have the spring in my step that I’ve been rambling on about!

Here’s what I’m doing that I believe is responsible for my not aging the way that most people age and the fact I was I had a predisposition to where I should have had arthritis 14 years ago and I still don’t have it.

My Dr. who told me this did not mention anything about nutrition let alone certain kinds of nutrition that do different things to the human body.

He didn’t tell me about the effect of deep sleep or deep sleep at all. We didn’t have that conversation.

He didn’t tell me about minimizing stress or eliminating stress. We never had that conversation let alone talking about it.

It makes me wonder if my Dr. was on the secret payroll of private health insurance companies and PhRMA companies who make their money managing everything and curing nothing.

So my diet I changed to a plant based whole food diet.

I get good sound sleep every night.

I have things I could be stressing about like anyone else but I choose not to have that stress response anyone. It’s like a survival tactic. Literally 90 percent of diseases generally comes from stress. I’ve heard many experts talk about it and go on to say that it’s even more important than what we eat.

There are plenty of people I know that eat squeaky clean but they’re stressed out all the time from a bad spouse, a bad job, they’re pulling their hair out from their heads and suddenly they get cancer and can’t figure out why.

It’s stress man ya gotta eliminate stress and get good deep sleep every night and then you also have to eat a plant based whole food diet that works for you.

Then you don’t have to age the way that most people do.

Tony Horton said aging is for people who don’t know any better.

I think he’s right by objective measurements that show he is right.

It’s really about stacking the deck in your favor because we’ll never have absolute 100% control.

Anybody that writes me or comments in this thread about how you could still get sick even if you do everything right, well, then you didn’t real this post all the way through because I’m saying it right now about stacking the odds significantly in your favor because we’ll never have complete control but we do control how we respond to situations to make them less stressful, or no stress, no matter how bad the situation was and we have decisions over what we put into our mouth and things like that.

If sleep is a problem that could be tricky but you can certainly go down certain paths to figuring that out so that you can eventually get a really good night sleep if you suffer from something that gets in the way of that.

I hope that helps you.

My website I’ve furnished with tons of this stuff.

Thousands of pieces of content all to do with health, healing, wealth, chronic disease, chronic debt etc..

tom birkenmeyer dot com

Last but not least for a very long time now I drink a very dense superfood whole food plant based shake.

I drink it every day for many years at least one meal per day.

Truth be told I do two most days because I really love the way it tastes it’s quite delicious

It has gone a long way in supporting me towards living free of any aches, pains, or discomforts whatsoever.

Being in my 40s now I was suppose to have arthritis 14 years ago and it never happened.

If I have anything to do with it, it never will happen so there you have it.

Feel free to share this. Like it. comment. If you’ve got some other ideas too that can add to this I’d love to learn from you too about how NOT to age the way most people age.

People think it’s normal to age with aches and pains.

It’s not normal. It’s common.

So if you know more please share and expand all of our minds =)

Share this post because I’m sure you know some people that would get some value from what I just shared with you.

-Tom

P.s. If you’d like to work with me I don’t charge any fees I’m not going to sell you something you don’t want or need: http://workwithtom.fireyourboss.xyz

follow your heart

Have you enjoyed this? Was it helpful in breaking some circular thought patterns you might have been stuck in? Do you know anyone who could benefit from this? Sharing is caring. Share with friends and family.

Was this helpful? If so, I would greatly appreciate it if you commented and shared on Facebook and other Social Media, too. You might also enjoy Fire Your Boss & 31 Ways to Raise Money Now.

If you enjoyed my blog you might LOVE my YouTube video about changing one thing, the direction of your cash-flow, to change Everything:

For the first time since my dad passed away, over 1 month ago, I’m sleeping at my house by myself.

Big night for me.

I’ve slept at my moms house which use to be my parents house since dad passed on.

I’m most likely not going out tonight. I don’t know of anything going on that interests me enough to attend even though it’s friday night, but I’m open if something changes.

It feels like the whole universe has to re arrange itself but it’s not so it leaves me feeling disoriented.

I hurt, I feel a void larger than any void I’ve ever felt in my life that sits in the pit of my stomach that won’t go away, I want to run to my dad like I’ve always been able to and I’ll never be able to again.

Honestly I am well. Even in the midst of all that I am feeling I really do feel well.

Being open and vulnerable about this whole experience has been therapeutic for me and from I hear from lots of people it’s helped them, too.

So I guess this is an update post about how I am doing. I hope you are doing well, too.

Building my online health and fitness biz around residual money is the main other thing im doing that’s therapeutic. I love to work. I have to keep myself busy with something I love learning about.

I love working so much that I got rid of my TV YEARS ago and havent looked back at it.

My dad was proud of me. He still is proud of me from Heaven.

I’m even in the midst of creating a whole new training course called the 5 minute potty break trainer..LoL I’m pouring myself into it with all I’ve got which is a LOT when you consider I’ve been consistently learning every day without breaking for the past 10 years and counting. I’m looking forward to the first hundred or so people who take this training course and the feedback they give that I can post all over facebook.

Facebook is wildly valuable depending on how it’s used.

Even my dad got on facebook for the last 6 years of his amazing life here on earth.

Dammit I miss my dad.

I love you Dad.

Tom

Getting a job to Pay Bills & Eat is for people who Don’t Know Any Better – Q & A

This is one of those posts that irritates some while Inspiring others.

Depending on a job for income to pay bills and eat should be avoided with everything in your power.

Question: I agree but where do I get the money to pay the bills or eat?

Me: Research passive and residual money. It’s the only income type that de couple’s time from money. At first I found it very difficult but as I went through the process in my precious minutes of spare time (with a hunger for LEARNING) it got easier and it gave me time freedom. I have thousands of videos and blog posts about it on my www.tombirkenmeyer.com website.

 

Question: I dunno. I’ve done it your way. Neither worked for me.

Me: Find your way not my way or anyone else’s way. And when you find your way promise yourself you’ll try and fail over and over again until you figure it out. The word “until” is a huge part of figuring stuff out and solving problems. A deadline for quitting is not part of the equation in figuring stuff out and solving problems. The short cut is to find a teacher who has been there, done that, figured it out, and is willing to show you, and then you be the best student that you can be so you can in turn teach someone else as you get results, too.

Question: I don’t know what “my way” is. Not sure how to find it either. I’ll not “quit”. But I won’t beat my head on the brick wall for something that is not for me.

Me: Don’t use your head against a brick wall. The wall will win! LOL.. Find the right tool, the right teacher, the right training, and utilize those things against the brick wall or anything else. There is nothing in your way. Your obstacles are there to force you to get the skills you need so you can get what you want.

 

Question: A job is a reliable, safe, secure, intelligent source of income.

Me: When an income is owned by someone else, can be taken away at any time for any reason, it requires its participants to trade their time for it like a hamster treading it’s wheel, that income is of the highest risk possible and that person should change whatever their job title is to PROFESSIONAL GAMBLER. The “reliable safe secure income” is the grand illusion. It’s the unforgivable lie that keeps people obedient to the most sinister pyramid scam ever devised against people. Believing job income is safe, reliable, secure or intelligent is just silly. Don’t fall for that scam. It’s sold to you as safe and secure on purpose to keep you obedient to the leadership of the largest financial institutions in the world who need you so they can have more while you have less.

 

Question: Some jobs HAVE to be done, Tom. Humans need care, roads need repair, teeth need cleaning and repairing, heads need psychologists to shrink them. I can go on.

Me: I’m not anti job. I’m anti dependency. Those jobs can all be done by people that like their jobs, and IF they wish, they can build something that’s passive on the side that covers them financially so they are no longer needy and co-dependent on some company to take care of them. You’re making the talking points of the very people who thrive by exploiting you. Love your job and always go above and beyond with a sense of pride for the work you do. We have to recognize the discernment between a needy co-dependency in the income from a job vs. zero needy co-dependency in the income from a job. When a job becomes optional that’s independence. When a job is out of neediness to pay bills and eat then it’s co-dependency and modern day Obedient Slavery.

 

Question: I just can’t make a living like you do. That’s YOUR talent, not mine.

Me: It’s not about me and this is not my talent. I was hungry to learn. You’re capable of learning, too. The difference between learning a job vs. learning passive and residual money is if you rely on job income to pay bills and eat you’re time is coupled to your income. If you learn passive and residual income you de-couple your time from your income so you can spend your time how you wish and be where you want to be when you need to be. You’ve learned new skills in the past. You can learn this one, too. Passive and residual income is 100% adaptable to the individual. At a job you have to be adaptable to the job. It’s common to get this backwards and the result is a lot of people don’t believe they can do passive and residual income. There is nothing further from the truth.

 

Question: I’d love to but I’m broke, debt, I have no time, I have no skill, I have kids, my spouse doesn’t support me, I have too much going on, don’t wanna lose my disability, I have a rash on my butt, mercury is in retrograde etc…

Me: There is someone out there who had it worse than you who figured out residual money while starting at a place in their lives even worse than yours. Replace your rationale for why you can’t with HUNGER for learning how you CAN or you’re screwed and that’s an inside job, ya know, the same home as the solution. Let’s be problem solvers instead of excuse makers.

 

Question: I poured time, and money into these projects, over lots of years. And I’ve never seen a dime in residuals. So I have a job. And a boss. I wasted thousands of dollars over the course of 30 years, trying this one and that one. Literally, never earned a dime. I have yet to see a program that you can start with no money, or continue without buying products and paying fees.

Me: I hear you that’s part of my story, too. After I tried and failed I tried and failed again, and again, until I figured it out. My big breakthrough and shortcut came when I decided upon 2 things. 1.) I decided to find some teachers who had been there, done that, and willing to show me how. 2.) I returned to the wisdom we all had when we were babies when it came to quitting. When we were babies we didn’t give ourselves a deadline to learn to walk or quit and spend the rest of our lives crawling. We were EAGER, ANXIOUS, HUNGRY to continuously FALL over and over again UNTIL we figured it out. We have to dump the Bad philosophies we learned as adults and replace them with good philosophies. Throwing money at a problem doesn’t solve it, it makes it worse and more costly. Learning new relevant skills solves problems. Putting more time in also doesn’t solve any problems it just costs you more time. If you LEARN how to build residual money part time you win. If you can’t build residual money part time then you also can’t build it full time so the solution is to build your SKILL set in residual money.

 

Question: I don’t understand why you think it is that you don’t have a job. You spend time doing what you do.

Me: My incomes doens’t require any personal involvement from me. I can afford to work for free, spend my time for free, so I do. But I was not able to do that till I went through that process of de-coupling how I spend my time from my income. In my personal opinion a reasonable income does not come from a source that can take it away at any time for any reason and its recipient can only keep receiving it if they continuously show up on their human hamster wheel to get it. Residual and passive money is the only income type that de-couples time from money and it’s available to anyone no matter how good bad or ugly their circumstances.

 

Question: You seem judgemental. Not everyone is to walk your path. Everyone has their own purpose.

Me: I don’t want a captive audience I like free thinkers including free to think differently than me. A discrepancy I observe is when someone believes the earth is flat and they believe it’s open for debate. No, its not open. Its settled. The earth is a globe shape. In this case… When someone believes they are wild and free all the while they depend on their job to pay bills then they are just as objectively wrong as the person who believes the earth is flat. They are not wild and free they are chained and shackled to the dollar or they can’t eat. The solution is passive and residual money because it’s the only income type that de-couples time from money and that works for ANY and EVERY purpose and for ANY and EVERY individual. My main point I blog about more than anything is de-coupling ones time from ones money. That way one is free to spend their time however they want.

Question: I respect hard work whether it’s self employed or a job.

Me: Yes I do too! I’m not anti job and I’m definitely not anti work. I’m a workaholic myself. My post is about the dependency people put into income from a job to pay their bills and eat. It’s the worst idea ever and it’s lived by lots of very good people many of whom I love and care about. My post was not attacking the quality of anyone’s character or work ethics. My post was attacking a very stupid idea that very good people subscribe to on a very popular basis

My friend Keia Lavine worded it better than I ever could have so I’ll quote her: “Working hard… is a moral character issue and is different than a job which is a preconceived notion that is confused with work.

A JOB is fashioned slavery that’s gives you an illusion of safety. Hard work is the actions that you partake in to continue your physical, emotional, spiritual and mental development. A JOB is external, hard work is an internal character trait”

Have you enjoyed this?  You might also like “10 Reasons You Should Never Get a Job by Steve Pavlina” & the original “Getting a job is for people who don’t know any better“.

-Tom

P.s. If you’d like to work with me I don’t charge any fees I’m not going to sell you something you don’t want or need: http://workwithtom.fireyourboss.xyz

follow your heart

Have you enjoyed this? Was it helpful in breaking some circular thought patterns you might have been stuck in? Do you know anyone who could benefit from this? Sharing is caring. Share with friends and family.

Was this helpful? If so, I would greatly appreciate it if you commented and shared on Facebook and other Social Media, too. You might also enjoy Fire Your Boss & 31 Ways to Raise Money Now.

If you enjoyed my blog you might LOVE my YouTube video about changing one thing, the direction of your cash-flow, to change Everything:

Getting a Job to pay bills and eat is for people who don’t know any better =)

I’m not an Expert in money. I have a basic understanding of it, and that is why I would NEVER get a job again.

Lots of people think they have a basic understanding of money all the while they need their job or they can’t pay bills and eat.

Their neediness in their job to pay bills and eat shows they are chained and shackled to their income.

49 out of every 50 people unfortunately have been sold terrible unforgivable lies about money and how to pay their living expenses.

Not everyone is ready to learn how money really works.

If a person believes their job is an intelligent safe secure way to make money and not open to the possibility they are dead wrong then they are not ready and will continue their obedience training.

I did my obedience training, unknowing to me, but when I learned new information I changed course IMMEDIATELY.

Some people keep the status quo with new facts while others can’t help but to EVOLVE as they get new facts.

I’m letting you know I come from the world of Obedience so you know that I’m not demonizing you or pointing any fingers if you’ve fallen for this LIE that you’re job income is safe, secure, or even an intelligent way to pay your bills and eat.

I’m not even anti job! Jobs are awesome WHEN THEY ARE OPTIONAL!

If your job is not optional or you starve then you are nothing but at turd in the herd in the eyes of the leadership of the largest financial institutions in the world who need your obedience to perpetually exploit you for their gain at your expense.

In my personal eyes you’re not a turd in the herd. You’re doing the best with what you know. Using job income to pay bills and eat is for people who don’t know any better.

Be hungry to LEARN and TRASH this idea that you know anything about money so that you can become open to LEARN about money and FINALLY go through a worth while process of de-coupling your time from your income.

In the end that’s what its about!

If you go through that process of decoupling your time from your income then you are at last a FREE human being able to spend your time however you want. You’ll be able to be where your heart BLEEDS to be when you need to be.

Without that kind of freedom to spend your time how you wish then you are wasting that DASH between your birth date and death date.

You only get one dash.

Don’t waste it on being a coupled to your income.

Money is NOT that important that you’d tie your god blessed time to it!

De couple your time from your money!

Learn passive and residual income and go through that deal of LEARNING and doing with an absolute resolve that you will NEVER give up UNTIL you’ve solved that problem.

If you give yourself a deadline to quit you’re ripping yourself off.

There is no deadline.

Learn the word, “Until”.

“UNTIL” is a powerful world.

You’ll do it UNTIL!!!

When you were a baby you didn’t give yourself a deadline to learn to walk or quit and spend the rest of your life crawling.

You had more wisdom in that regard when you were a baby than you do now as a grown adult!!!!

Feel free to share this message it’s important and needs to be received more than the lies we’ve been fed all our lives.

If you enjoyed this you might also enjoy the Q & A for Getting a job to pay bills and eat is for people who don’t know any better.

With Love,

-Tom

P.s. If you’d like to work with me I don’t charge any fees I’m not going to sell you something you don’t want or need: http://workwithtom.fireyourboss.xyz

follow your heart

Have you enjoyed this? Was it helpful in breaking some circular thought patterns you might have been stuck in? Do you know anyone who could benefit from this? Sharing is caring. Share with friends and family.

Was this helpful? If so, I would greatly appreciate it if you commented and shared on Facebook and other Social Media, too. You might also enjoy Fire Your Boss & 31 Ways to Raise Money Now.

If you enjoyed my blog you might LOVE my YouTube video about changing one thing, the direction of your cash-flow, to change Everything:

Finally Making Videos since my Dad Passed Away over a month ago

Good evening all! How are you??

Today I’ve been bitten by the Video Bug for the first time since my dad passed away over a month ago now.

I made 4 videos today =)

1.) 9 is Fine
2.) My Superhero Dad and Guns
3.) How to use Credit Cards to scam THEM with their Permission and in a way that you don’t have to use your own money
4.) Capitalism and Socialism & Checks and Balances

Lots more coming!!! I love making videos about Health and Wealth topics and for people who love to eat that stuff up because having both health and wealth, yes and yes, is cool. Picking one or the other is lame.

Yes and Yes! Not yes and no.

Your dash between your birth and death date is your one life you get so I don’t see the point in half-throttling it on choosing either or. YES AND YES =) Everything in the way of YES AND YES is just stuff to figure out. When the going gets tough the tough get going. Too many people quit when the going gets tough and deflect to make it easier to live with themselves for being a non starter or a quitter or both. Eff that self sabotaging non-sense =)

Since my dads passing I’ve been unreserved about my vulnerability. It’s not even a thing anymore for me to keep my crying to myself. If I need to cry I cry. If I have a bad day I show it to whoever is there with the aim of positively healing. If I do something dumb it’s out in the open where I want it to be. When I score a victory through the ashes of something that started poorly it will be on display so no one can have permission in my example to be a quitter.

I hope my sharing all this stuff inspires you to be unafraid to be unreserved about all of who you are, too, and to dream bigger than you have before and just be unreserved completely about the process of making your beautiful dreams a beautiful reality. Put it all on display the good bad and ugly it inspires people.

Ya know what doesn’t inspire anyone to do anything? Playing small. Afraid to dream. Afraid to make mistakes. Quitting. Excuses. Ego tripping. Everyone already knows how to act like a loser they don’t need you or I showing them. Let’s show people how to be human, how to THINK BIG, DREAM BIG, cry, make mistakes, learn, grow, don’t keep it from people…

Thanks for listening.

-Tom

P.s. If you’d like to work with me I don’t charge any fees I’m not going to sell you something you don’t want or need: http://workwithtom.fireyourboss.xyz

follow your heart

Have you enjoyed this? Was it helpful in breaking some circular thought patterns you might have been stuck in? Do you know anyone who could benefit from this? Sharing is caring. Share with friends and family.

Was this helpful? If so, I would greatly appreciate it if you commented and shared on Facebook and other Social Media, too. You might also enjoy Fire Your Boss & 31 Ways to Raise Money Now.

If you enjoyed my blog you might LOVE my YouTube video about changing one thing, the direction of your cash-flow, to change Everything:

My Superhero Dad and Guns


One of MANY interesting things about my amazing superhero Dad…

Even though he controlled the largest guns in the worlds most powerful NAVY he had absolutely zero interest in ever owning, touching, or firing a gun in his life outside of the Navy.

He was not against them.

He was certainly passionately in favor of BETTER checks and balances.

My dad had a really cool nuanced position about guns based on what’s happening in our country.

He believed federally there are not enough checks and balances which allowed some areas to have to little regulation and other areas to have too much regulation.

He personally never owned a gun and had no interest.

A lot of people who served in our military never had any interest in them and all of them I’ve ever talked to passionately argue for better checks and balances.

The ones who believe in no regulations have always been, that I know of, a small segment of our population who’ve never served in the military.

There is a certain irony to that.

More credibility is on the side of the brave men and women who have a better understanding of high powered weaponry through serving in our military (the most weaponized force on planet earth) than people who don’t.

One thing that not even military men and women recognize is the private money in politics that has caused the gun violence to spiral out of control and why we can’t get regulation specifics that 93% of the country want.

How do we not have something as of yesterday that more than nine out of ten people want in a representative democracy???

It’s called legalized bribery, otherwise known as political donations, in our politics. It creates an egregious conflict of interest that would be illegal anywhere else. Our politicians bid for their donors at the expense of everyone else.

WE NEED TO GET ALL PRIVATE MONEY OUT OF POLITICS IMMEDIATELY.

Our military men and women are not fighting and dying for our Oligarchy corruption. No kleptocracy or plutocrats.

Our military personal is disgusted by our government. Their opinion weighs more in my mind than anyone elses because they are the ones paying the real price for our country to become a more perfect union.

Most of our elected leaders are on the take from big money donors. This creates an egregiously DANGEROUS conflict of interest.

They represent their biggest donors and not the people.

We cannot have an honorable or principled disagreement or agreement with our elected “leaders” because they are not honorable or principled people.

We need a constitutional amendment banning all private money from entering politics so we can have clean elections.

If we have clean elections unfettered by legalized bribes and other conflicts of interests then we can have honorable and principled discussions in disagreement or in agreement.

We can finally work toward solving problems because they’d be representing the people.

Private money (legalized bribes) in politics has corrupted, broken, and shattered our entire system of government and we can’t have any honorable principled public discourse because of it.

Some say this is not the time for politics. I HEAR YOU.

I believe this has to be the time for politics but NOT POLITICS AS USUAL.

Politics is where legalized change happens.

There are untold future gun violence events that are imminent.

The sooner we get political about it in an HONORABLE WAY the sooner we can begin preventing future gun violence.

If we wait too long then we will forget and no change happens.

If we hold these two thoughts in our heads at the same time, LOVE and ACTION FOR SOLUTIONS IN POLITICS, then just maybe we can begin preventing future gun violence even if just by chipping away at the number of mass shootings and death.

We have a terrible gun violence problem in the USA that is unprecedented by anywhere else in the world.

We need to embrace being able to hold onto more than one thought in our heads at the same time so we can LOVE each other AND take this to politics for solutions.

But again, it can’t be politics as usual or nothing will change.

How about politics as UNUSUAL in that we understand each other and working together for solutions beginning with amending our constitution to BAN ALL PRIVATE MONEY FROM POLITICS SO WE CAN HAVE THESE NEEDED DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR ELECTED LEADERS.

Gun Control Checks and Balances & Politicians Using Meaningless Words

“There is nothing we can do about it” – says the only country that has this problem.

I feel so utterly helpless.

We in the USA have more than 1 mass shooting per day.

In 2017 we will be closing out the worst year of mass shootings we’ve ever had in a single year.

If it’s a white male it’s blamed on mental health before knowing anything.

If it’s a brown skinned male it’s blamed on muslim terrorism before knowing anything.

Politicians go through their well rehearsed meaningless condolences and warning against politicizing the tragedy.

Does anyone know the seed and soil of what sprouted an orchard of mass shootings?

I do.

It’s our system of legalized bribery, the ultimate corruption in politics, private donation money.

When you hear a politician give condolences followed up by, “Let’s not politicize this”, that’s how you know that vile cretin is taking money from private companies with a profit motive to sell more guns such as the NRA and major gun manufacturers.

Anytime you hear a politician warning us against politicizing a mass shooting or that their idea of a solution is to fight evil, love each other, pray, and unity in the community… They are on the take with generous legalized bribes to not do anything legislatively.

I’m not calling for gun control.

I’m calling for checks and balances.

If you don’t know checks and balances then you don’t know our constitution.

If you believe in control then you don’t believe in our constitution.

Every right we are given.. Every Amendment to our constitution.. Every freedom and liberty fought for by our military personnel… It all comes with checks and balances built in.

There is no such thing as an unlimited freedom.

If you want an unlimited freedom then you either don’t know our founding documents, or you do but you don’t believe in them.

Our 2nd amendment right to bear arms has checks and balances.

We need more checks in our 2nd amendment, not control.

93% of the country wants a mandatory universal background check and to close the gun show loop hole.

We can’t get it.

How do we not have something that has a 93% approval???

Our politicians are so corrupt that they won’t give us something with a 93% approval rating in what is suppose to be a representative democracy.

Even if you are part of the 7%, if you care anything about objectivity, you have to concede that we do not have a representative democracy.

Forget listening to a politician unless you have a list of their top donors with you while you listen to them talk.

If you are looking at a list of their top donors then what they’re talking about will begin to click with you and their corruption will become painfully obvious.

Every term and midterm election cycle is our chance to replace them with a representative government and so far we’ve blown it every time.

But, there is the next term and mid term coming up.

Let’s stop blowing it and start voting for candidates in ALL levels of government who are not on the take of legalized bribes.

Criminals don’t follow the law.

So lets create needed checks and balances and give law enforcement more tools to help prevent some of these mass shootings.

There are approximately 10,000 homicides per year from guns.

That number will never be zero.

But let me ask you this…

If we are able to chip away at that number and bring it down to 5,000 would it be worth it to introduce new gun regulations that 93% of us already agree with?

Of course it would be worth it.

Universal back ground checks in all fifty states, close the gun show loop holes in all fifty states, and make bump stocks illegal in all fifty states…

Just that alone would significantly chip away at the 10,000 number and those are regulations that 93% of us already want.

You’d still be able to hunt with a gun, protect your home and your family with a gun, because that’s balance.

Right now we are insanely out of balance.

We need regulations to give us checks and balances to our 2nd amendment right to bear arms.

Our current members of government are not going to do it because they are on the take in taking too much legalized bribery.

Remember what I said…

The next election cycle is always near by.

Every two years we have an opportunity to replace plutocrats with representatives of our democracy.

Please Share this.

People need to become aware of the legalized bribery.

People need to start looking at donor lists so it all starts making sense that our politicians are on the take.

That way maybe we will come together and vote them out and finally have representatives who represent us instead of their legal bribers.

Share Share Share.

Tom

 

Use credit cards as much as possible!

Hear me out I’ll explain..

Credit is Leverage.

Cash is debt and DESIGNED on purpose to lose money each year through inflation.

Using cash and building savings accounts reduces your buying power and transfers money in lil bits and pieces at a time to the most financially literate people that make up our economy without you knowing it.

Today most credit card issuers charge zero fees (unless you’re late on a payment) and will pay you between 1% and 5% on ALL credit purchases which means you get to leverage money for free and get paid a little extra for it.

The only discrepancy is a psychological one for people who use a credit card to spend more than they would if they were using cash and then go on to blame the credit card instead of looking inside themselves for the source of the real problem which is also the location of the real solution to that real problem.

For those of us willing to solve that internal problem then the credit card is your best monetary friend because it’s 100% leverage that is free to use and you get paid a lil extra for using it.

Credit also makes it easier to get ahead AND DE-couple how you spend your time from your income because credit is leverage.

Without leverage you cannot get ahead or DE-couple your time from your income because cash is debt and made by DESIGN on purpose to lose buying power each and every year through inflation and higher taxes.

There is a saying that the Establishment of Big Money does not want you to know, and that is, “SAVERS ARE LOSERS”. Translation = We at the heads of the largest financial institutions of the world don’t want you to know that savers are losers. We want you to buy our lie and illusion we are selling you that saving is good! We want you to use cash and save anything you can so that we can take from you financially illiterate peasants through inflation, fractional reserve, and higher taxes without your knowledge.

In my opinion having a savings account for some cushion is wonderful. I have a savings account I use just for cushion. But having a savings account as a wealth building strategy is completely obedient to the heads of the worlds largest financial institutions who are stealing from you, legally, and don’t want you to know about it.

What about a CD account? CD stands for Certification of DEPRECIATION. You were told it stands for Certificate of Deposit which is a euphemism to get you to put you’re money into them so they can take from you in lil bits and pieces at a time just like your savings account.

What about the interest you earn on savings accounts and CDs? You lose twice on those interest “earnings”. 1.) The interest rate is less than inflation and 2.) you pay ordinary earned income tax on Savings and CDs which is the highest tax a person pays right along with their financially dumb job. You’re double whammied with your savings and CD accounts all the while you were lied to and told it was an asset that you personally would financially benefit from. In reality it keeps your time coupled to your income so you can never get away from it and it makes it easy for highly corrupt people at the top of that racquet to get richer at your expense.

I have a lengthy video that goes into more detail about how to get out of this pyramid scam racquet. If you’d like to see it let me know ill post it in reply to your comment in this thread. Or you can private message me for it I don’t care either way.

Moral of this blog post is knowledge is NOT power. Knowledge is potential. You’ve learned something valuable that you can sit on or do something about. Doing something about it with knowledge is power. Knowledge without action is for educated derelicts. Knowledge alone is not powerful it’s just intellectual masturbation and all the educated derelicts are only intellectually masturbating while the Action Takers are getting Results.

You might also enjoy my blog post entitled, “Credit Cards – Friend or Foe?“.

-Tom

P.s. If you’d like to work with me I don’t charge any fees I’m not going to sell you something you don’t want or need: http://workwithtom.fireyourboss.xyz

follow your heart

Have you enjoyed this? Was it helpful in breaking some circular thought patterns you might have been stuck in? Do you know anyone who could benefit from this? Sharing is caring. Share with friends and family.

Was this helpful? If so, I would greatly appreciate it if you commented and shared on Facebook and other Social Media, too. You might also enjoy Fire Your Boss & 31 Ways to Raise Money Now.

If you enjoyed my blog you might LOVE my YouTube video about changing one thing, the direction of your cash-flow, to change Everything:

How’s your evening? I so badly miss my Dad. One month ago TODAY he passed on… Oct. 13th. Today is Nov. 13th.

Today was quite a day. More big steps in settling my late fathers financial affairs.

I’m so grateful he set my mom up well. The NAVY is taking care of my mom after taking care of him while we still had him physically with us.

I so badly miss my dad. I’m Heart broken and disoriented for the rest of my life until I see him again when I pass on.

My mom and I went to the navy base today. Great Lakes Naval base. The old hospital I spent a lot of time at had been demolished and turned into an open field. That was so weird to see.

Today I came across old birth certificates, baptismal certificates, and of course a newly death certificate.

Yesterday we attended part of a visitation of a family friend who passed away. Physical addictions took his physical life at a very young age of fifty two. He’s liberated from all physical limitations now.

I make the ” dad special” that very affectionately entitled a special chocolate super foods shake for my mom each and every day that I Sell and I also drink myself. Pm me if you’d like to know more about that.

I call it the “dad special” because it’s exactly how my dad liked me to make his when I had him here before he passed on to be in a much better place. The Dad Special. To you he is John or Larry Birkenmeyer. To me he is dad. He is in heaven now. I know it must be heaven because he is there.

I also wrote a blog today about CREDIT CARDS. I posted that just one post earlier. Scroll back one post you’ll find it easy peasy.

Now it’s time to unwind at 20:33 and go to sleep when I feel like like it.

I’m an old soul apparently 20:33 is late and I’m up before the sun is regularly.

Feel free to share if there is anything vulnerable and healing here that you feel someone else might find value in.

Bathroom Breaks at Work Used to Create Financial Freedom

5 minutes here..
and 10 minutes there…

Even during 5 minute bathroom breaks at work sitting on the toilet it didn’t matter a girl in my company had no free time and she made the decision she was not going to let her time be manipulated anymore.

Me personally, I had 20 minutes a day sometimes broken up into five and ten minute blocks.

I wasn’t going to let that stop me either.

Lack of free time might be your present but does not have to be your future.

You have a finite Dash between your birth date and death date.

You don’t get multiple dashes just the one, the one you’re LIVING in right now, one shot at making your finite time here on Earth count for real.

Love your job hate your job it’s irrelevant.

LEARN how to decouple your time from your income so you can be a free human being.

Your one dash between your birth and death date is worth it.

I did it in 5 or 10 minutes blocks at a time you can do it too.

Feel free to ask me how I did it.

I’m not going to sell you sht you don’t want or need.

This story has inspired me to create a whole new financial freedom training that can be done in 5 minute increments and from a smartphone for when you only have 5 minute bathroom breaks and only a smartphone.

Mechanically there will be nothing holding you back.  Not lack of time, not lack of a computer, just bad thinking will be the only thing left to hold you back but we can solve that, too.

I will have this training completed soon for your devouring =)

Tom

P.S. Feel free to share this GREAT idea.

By the way… If you love health and fitness like I do and you’re interested in de-coupling your time from your income like I have for a long time now feel free to fb inbox me.

P.P.S. If you’d like to work with me I don’t charge any fees I’m not going to sell you something you don’t want or need: http://workwithtom.fireyourboss.xyz

follow your heart

Have you enjoyed this? Was it helpful in breaking some circular thought patterns you might have been stuck in? Do you know anyone who could benefit from this? Sharing is caring. Share with friends and family.

Was this helpful? If so, I would greatly appreciate it if you commented and shared on Facebook and other Social Media, too. You might also enjoy Fire Your Boss & 31 Ways to Raise Money Now.

If you enjoyed my blog you might LOVE my YouTube video about changing one thing, the direction of your cash-flow, to change Everything:

Daily Affirmations and Prayers for Abundance working against you?

You do your daily affirmations and pray for laws of abundance to be working for you but you still have too much month at the end of the money and no free time to yourself.

I want to share something friends shared with me long ago.

A friend said, “replace expectations with gratitude and all feelings of fear and anxiousness go away”.

Another friend told me, “faith without consistent relevant ACTION is dead faith”.

And then the big one for me was when one of my mentors taught me to DECOUPLE YOUR TIME FROM YOUR INCOME OR YOU’LL NEVER BE PROSPEROUS AND FREE. He taught me the only way to decouple time from money is to work to build passive and residual income.

That was the biggest game changer for me because I was never afraid of hard work.

I was putting my hard work into places that was not bringing me meaningful long lasting prosperity.

When I put my hard work toward residual and passive income my time began to decouple itself from my income.

It took me only two and a half years of going through that decoupling process until at last my time was 100% completely decoupled from my income.

Long lasting result of prosperity finally.

Love your job hate your job it does not matter.

The goal is to decouple your time from your income so you’re free to do what you want with your time.

Keep your job, leave your job, give to charity, start your own charity, spend more time with your family, take a family vacation.

No longer living underneath the thumb of others who can tell you what to do.

No more worry about how bills will be paid for.

You create your own life experiences without the permission of a gatekeeper.

Needing a job or some company to take care of you is not cool.

What is cool is not being needy and codependent on some company to take care of you so you can keep it or leave it you’re free.

You can do it for what it’s worth I’m your biggest cheerleader in this context.

If you are wondering why you don’t have more control over your time..

If you are wondering why you are not more free to do what you want..

I hope this helps you as it helped me when I learned these things.

But this is not even scratching the surface you have to love learning and be eager to dive in deep with learning and doing otherwise you’re screwed and that is an inside job.

You can do it.

Feel free to share this.

Tom.

P.s. if you’d like to see what I did to decouple my time from my income feel free to ask.

P.P.S. Feel free to share this GREAT idea.

By the way.. If you’d like to work with me I don’t charge any fees I’m not going to sell you something you don’t want or need: http://workwithtom.fireyourboss.xyz

follow your heart

Have you enjoyed this? Was it helpful in breaking some circular thought patterns you might have been stuck in? Do you know anyone who could benefit from this? Sharing is caring. Share with friends and family.

Was this helpful? If so, I would greatly appreciate it if you commented and shared on Facebook and other Social Media, too. You might also enjoy Fire Your Boss & 31 Ways to Raise Money Now.

If you enjoyed my blog you might LOVE my YouTube video about changing one thing, the direction of your cash-flow, to change Everything:

1st Halloween Without my Dad Physically With Us Anymore – the Angels Had Other Plans

This is the 1st Halloween I’ve been home for in 4 years. The last three I spent in Las Vegas.

This year I was looking forward to handing candy out to the kids for trick or treating with my dad but the Angels had other plans. We use to love doing that together. My dad really loved seeing the kids and handing out candy even when I was not here the last 3 Halloweens.

In the hospital just a few weeks ago I was telling my dad I was looking forward to being home for the first time in 4 years for Halloween. He knew.

My dad passed on since then.

I’m handing out candy tonight in memory and in honor of my dad. I’m doing a lot of things in honor and memory of my dad. I even talk to my dad more than God now.

I remember 24 years ago Halloween day and night I played my guitar all day and night only to stop to hand out candy with my dad and once and a while to say, “hey dad check this out” and I’d play him something I just learned. I was 16 24 Halloweens ago and just beginning to learn how to play guitar.

As I improved and got really good on that instrument my dad became impressed! I remember my cousin Robin telling me how my dad was bragging about me. I never heard my dad brag about my guitar skills first hand. I’m glad my cousin robin told me about it =)

Maybe he was bragging about me because in the early days, for a long time, I completely sucked at it..LoL Oh the horror of what my dad had to listen to just to be able to make a single note sound decent rather than like two cats in heat…haha!! But even when my notes sounded decent, it was Heavy Metal, and my dad would open the door to my room to peak inside and ask me, “Hey Tom can you play Solo? So LOW that I can’t hear you?” LoL My dad loved to make people laugh! I thought half of his jokes and puns were lame, but the other half more than made up for his lame ones.

I remember I was learning “For Whom the Bell Tolls” by Metallica. A very easy song, very basic and beginners like, and I was having a very difficult time with it. I can play that tune in my sleep now and much more difficult songs like second nature but that was my start 24 years ago on guitar.

I will always associate Halloween with my dad, when I started playing guitar, and handing out candy with my dad.

I love you Dad forever.

Tom

To be Triggered or not to be Triggered..

There is always that 1 person Deeply offended by my posts.

To that one or two deeply triggered people trolling me:

I’m sorry to see you so deeply triggered.

I’m not microaggressing you so i’m puzzled at why you’re so triggered.

If you need a safe space I don’t judge..

I just want you to know that I don’t want you to feel like I need your captive attention.

You’re free to ignore my crazy posts about money and surround yourself with people you agree with.

If my posts about Money, jobs, Freedom, Wage Slaves upsets you (the posts I make that triggers you so badly) I have much more coming in perpetuity just a fair warning to you.

The wonderful thing about being unreserved WITHOUT attacking people is when someone is magnetized to me and my ideas it’s organic and natural from them to me and from me to them.

If I become someone I’m not to protect you from feeling uncomfortable around me then anyone I attract to me will be attracted to a disingenuous facade and that would make my heart feel empty.

I like being around people with different opinions and ideas.

For me personally I have to bow out when one of these two things happens:

1.) The person I’m talking with crosses the line from attacking ideas they disagree with to attacking the person of whom they disagree with.

2.) The person I’m talking with confidently subscribes to false facts with zero openness to the possibility they could be wrong. I.e. 2+2=5 is not an opinion we get to have because it’s wrong and that’s when I stop talking with you to put my energy with someone else.

One last thing..

Thank you for giving me something else to blog about. This post is more for people of my “tribe” than my haters. It’s for my tribe because it feels good to come together around similar philosophies that we can high five each other about.

Let’s have some FUN =)

Tom

P.S. Whether you love your job or hate your job your freedom comes when you no longer need your job to take care of you and your family any longer and that only happens when you build an asset you own that produces passive and residual money that exceeds all of your expenses. And to do that you need to be hungry to LEARN because nobody knows how to do any of that! Do you LOVE learning? You’re welcome =)

P.P.S. If you’d like to work with me I don’t charge any fees I’m not going to sell you something you don’t want or need: http://workwithtom.fireyourboss.xyz

follow your heart

Have you enjoyed this? Was it helpful in breaking some circular thought patterns you might have been stuck in? Do you know anyone who could benefit from this? Sharing is caring. Share with friends and family.

Was this helpful? If so, I would greatly appreciate it if you commented and shared on Facebook and other Social Media, too. You might also enjoy Fire Your Boss & 31 Ways to Raise Money Now.

If you enjoyed my blog you might LOVE my YouTube video about changing one thing, the direction of your cash-flow, to change Everything:

Dear Class mates of my Dad of Crystal City High School 1961.

This is his son, Tom Birkenmeyer.

I found these today going through his stuff. He really loved going to school with you and seeing you all again at the various reunions.

This is his and your 50th high school reunion, as you can see.

At his and your 40th there was a family emergency here at home with my little brother but he found a way to go without neglecting anything here at home.
He could do it ALL that’s the type of man he was.

At his and your 50th he had already been placed on oxygen 24/7, as you can kind of see in this distant photo, and he still made it happen that he could attend knowing the trip would be tough on him because he struggled to breath as it was.

Despite his chronic respiratory challenges you can see him smiling so big and standing so tall in this photo.

He loved you all.

Any time he talked about his class of 1961 it was always good.

It was only a few days or so before he passed away as in inpatient in the hospital we were talking about which city / state of all the places we’ve ever lived feels most like home still. I didn’t really have an answer for me except maybe somewhere in the desert outside of las vegas (even though we never lived there the closest was San Diego). My dad did have an answer. It was clearly Crystal City, MO. Without question. He only lived in Crystal City a few years but it was during those years were the most formative to developing his character. And YOU, class of 1996, were a big part of my dads precious formative years.

THANK YOU.

I’ve never met you but I’ve heard about you from my Dad.

I just want to say THANK YOU for your part in making my dads finite physical life on earth a really great one for him. I can tell you absolutely my Dad hoped to have had a positive influence on you, too. That’s the kind of man he was and still is in eternity.

The next class reunion with all of you and him and others of your class who’ve passed on will be in HEAVEN. I know it must be heaven after all because my dad is there now. A class reunion in heaven is something to look forward to without discounting whatever finite time we have left here on physical earth.

On behalf of my Dad,

Tom Birkenmeyer

I started choking on my tears earlier today going through stuff when I came across a folder my dad had put all of his poems into.

I started reading one of them to my mom that we figured was from around the time I started driving and I just lost it.

My dad had quite a few talents. One of them was writing poetry. All of his poems were very sentimental and all about family and friends. A couple of his poems he even went through our entire family tree and made it work as poetry.

My dad was a genius in anything he was really interested in.

He use to write poems regularly before it became a struggle to breath.

Birthdays, christmas, other family type of events..

Some of them he’d put in a nice frame and give them as gifts to his mom, his grandmother, and other relatives. They were always a hit with the family everyone always loved these thoughtful poems of his.

Eventually I’m going to photo copy all of his work and do something with it. These shouldn’t be in a folder where nobody gets to see them.

I love you Dad,

Tom

UPDATE! 10/19/2018 – Nearly one year later I finally did it. Here is everything I could find of my dads poetry: https://tombirkenmeyer.com/re-syndicated/poetry-by-my-super-hero-dad/

USS Morton Merry Christmas Family Gram December 1973

Posting on my dads Behalf, this is Tom Birkenmeyer.

I was going through some of his stuff today and came across something I don’t remember ever seeing before. My dad was a proud career Navy Man. Senior Chief BIRKENMEYER. One of the ships he was on was the USS Morton (DD-948) Sherman Class Destroyer.

In December of 1973 the U.S.S. Morton Commading officer at the time made this really cool family gram for it’s crew to send out to family. I found a copy that was addressed to his grandmother and grand father, my great grandmother Grams and great grandfather George P. Orphan.

I don’t know how many in the ships crew, hundreds or thousands, but in this family gram they put a spot light on my dad and made me well up in tears. I’m so proud of my dad. I love him and I miss him so much. I’m typing it out for you word for word from the original that was also typed but with a type writer back in those days before computers.

Check out my Dad, Senior Chief Lawrence J. BIRKENMEYER.

USS Morton Merry Christmas Family Gram December 1973

“Chief Firecontrol Technician FTGC Lawrence J. BIRKENMEYER, leading chief and supervisor for the gunnersmates… Wait! An FT leading gunnersmate?

The cry went out and as in time past, FTGC BIRKENMEYER responded. He is a conscientious man who has the ability to formulate plans and organize men and their efforts. As one of the results of his endeavors, the division has an outstanding training program and the ship has a fine shore patrol indoctrination program. It’s been said that he claims “there is no electronic casualty I can’t solve, given enough time!” This positive and aggresive attitude stands Chief Birkenmeyer in good stead with the men who works for him, and with those who know him. He has proven that with a proper attitude and good management, a division can accomplish all of it goals and commitments. This is most obvious in the succesful operation of the gunnersmates.

Chief Birkenmeyer feels it is important to talk to his men so that they will understand their respective jobs and learn the responsibilities of being a good petty officer. His key to success is proper planning and management, tampered with understanding for his men.”

Go Dad!!! I love you,

Tom

Your Cash flow Direction Tells you EVERYTHING about your Freedom

-Tom

P.s. If you’d like to work with me I don’t charge any fees I’m not going to sell you something you don’t want or need: http://workwithtom.fireyourboss.xyz

follow your heart

Have you enjoyed this? Was it helpful in breaking some circular thought patterns you might have been stuck in? Do you know anyone who could benefit from this? Sharing is caring. Share with friends and family.

Was this helpful? If so, I would greatly appreciate it if you commented and shared on Facebook and other Social Media, too. You might also enjoy Fire Your Boss & 31 Ways to Raise Money Now.

If you enjoyed my blog you might LOVE my YouTube video about changing one thing, the direction of your cash-flow, to change Everything:

Wild and Free or Chained and Shackled?

So many people brag about how Wild and Free they are while having to go report to their job and gatekeeper over how they spend their time.

Yeah you’re real wild and free.

That’s one of the biggest nuisances (and lies people tell themselves) I ever see in our, you know, our new age thinking people.

I love new age thinking but most people don’t live up to it because the idea is I’m wild and Free, I think differently, I’m open but oh I’m so wild and free I have to go to my job or I don’t get paid and I starve.

Yeah you’re real wild and free aren’t you?

It doesn’t make any sense.

It’s not even logically intellectually honest at all.

Ya wanna be wild and free beyond a cute new verbal trend?

DE-COUPLE YOUR TIME FROM YOUR INCOME.

Put the guarantee into yourself and get involved in something that has a residual and passive compensation plan so you can de-couple your time, because, if your time is coupled to your money I hate to break it to ya you’re not wild and free you’re just another sucker shackled to the dollar like everybody else whose time is coupled to their money so ya gotta de-couple the two or you’re not free.

I love you,

Tom

P.S. Feel free to share this GREAT idea.

By the way… If you love health and fitness like I do and you’re interested in de-coupling your time from your income like I have for a long time now feel free to fb inbox me.

P.P.S. If you’d like to work with me I don’t charge any fees I’m not going to sell you something you don’t want or need: http://workwithtom.fireyourboss.xyz

follow your heart

Have you enjoyed this? Was it helpful in breaking some circular thought patterns you might have been stuck in? Do you know anyone who could benefit from this? Sharing is caring. Share with friends and family.

Was this helpful? If so, I would greatly appreciate it if you commented and shared on Facebook and other Social Media, too. You might also enjoy Fire Your Boss & 31 Ways to Raise Money Now.

If you enjoyed my blog you might LOVE my YouTube video about changing one thing, the direction of your cash-flow, to change Everything:

Off ALL Blood Pressure Meds… healing herself with Nature?

“Aging is for People Who Don’t Know Better” – Tony Horton

It’s Not Normal to give up our Health and Money to hospitals and drug companies no matter how sadly COMMON it is.

This is my friend Denise pictured here with me. She will go on to save lots of Money as she reclaims even more health and how she FEELS to enjoy her beautiful life…

Here is how I do it (I’m sharing this with you so you can do it too)…

You see my friends and I engaged in our own journeys that is specific to us with help from the beachbody catalog of home fitness and nutritionals sharing our journey openly and honestly with the mistakes, the challenges, and the little victories we score out of the ashes of big setbacks…

If you love health and fitness like I do, and you’re interested in making some money in health and fitness like I am, or if you just want to get healthy without making some extra money, Private Message me.

Not just for yourself, but others around you who needlessly associate health problems with “Normal” aging.

I’m making this post in honor and memory of my Dad who LOVED drinking these chocolate super food shakes which supported his immune system and gave us at least another 9 years with him before passing away.

My dad was proud of me for how I behave as someone who uses and sells these programs.

He hates the typical behavior of telemarketers and other home business owners.

He loved the way I do it.

He loved how I’m the same person doing this. I didn’t become someone I’m not to do this and I have to believe that’s why I’ve been able to create success where others fail.

Others become someone they are not and tick off their friends and family.

I remained true to who I am so I was able to fire my boss, buy my house in cash, be there for my family and my dad during those most precious moments without having to check in with a gatekeeper or worry about being covered financially.

There are a lot of people oppressed and depressed underneath the thumb of a gatekeeper and others who can tell them what to do with their time.

I love you dad I’m gonna keep making you proud of me working with the willing who wanna get healthy physically and financially.

-Tom

P.s. If you’d like to work with me I don’t charge any fees I’m not going to sell you something you don’t want or need: http://workwithtom.fireyourboss.xyz

follow your heart

Have you enjoyed this? Was it helpful in breaking some circular thought patterns you might have been stuck in? Do you know anyone who could benefit from this? Sharing is caring. Share with friends and family.

Was this helpful? If so, I would greatly appreciate it if you commented and shared on Facebook and other Social Media, too. You might also enjoy Fire Your Boss & 31 Ways to Raise Money Now.

If you enjoyed my blog you might LOVE my YouTube video about changing one thing, the direction of your cash-flow, to change Everything:

My 1st workout since my Dads Passing..

My 1st workout since my Dads Passing..
 
2 weeks ago today, Fri Oct 13th, I woke up organically an hour or so before the sun rise. Laying there in bed anxious to visit my dad that morning in the hospital I thought to myself I’d go and get in a great workout and a shower since I can’t see him for a few more hours anyway. Worked out, showered, did some facebook stuff, drove to the hospital, sat in the parking lot for a few minutes before walking in praying hard for some good news and posted something on my facebook timeline about how STARVED I am for some good news. Feel free to scroll back two weeks ago today you’ll see my post and then the post I made much later in the evening that day about my fathers passing.
 
I got to see my dad that morning for my last time physically while he still occupied his temporary physical body for 74 years. He was totally alert, sharp, aware, just not able to talk much because he was struggling hard to breath. I said a few things during my two hour morning visit but mostly I just sat there because I didn’t want him to focus on both talking and breathing. Just breathing was a big enough chore for him. So I just sat in silence visiting only to say something once and a while. He knew I was there. I walked in all stealth like and sat down next to him. After a second he looked up and knew he had a visitor =)
 
I won’t go into all the details in this post. I did that in another very long heart wrenching post a week or so ago. I’m going to have all of my posts around my fathers passing collected on a page I’m making within my tom birkenmeyer dot com website so for those of you interested, you’ll be able to read them all there. There are lots of messages of healing in those posts. Lots of emotion. It’s as it was all happening so it’s un filtered, un fettered, just pure heart unreserved. It is my therapy. It can also be help for others, too.
 
Today I did a workout from the Power Half Hour Program by Beachbody and Tony Horton. I use these programs regularly and I sell them proudly. My dad was proud of me for practicing what I’ve been “preaching” about these programs and nutritionals. He was impressed with my original before / after transformation. From “scrawny to brawny”..LoL
 
My dad was also proud of me for how I behave as someone who uses and sells these programs. He hates the typical behavior of telemarketers and other home business owners. He loved the way I do it. He loved how I’m the same person doing this. I didn’t become someone I’m not to do this and I have to believe that’s why I’ve been able to create success where others fail. Others become someone they are not and tick off their friends and family. I remained true to who I am so I was able to fire my boss, buy my house in cash, be there for my family and my dad during those most precious moments without having to check in with a gatekeeper or worry about being covered financially.
 
Here is how I do it (I’m sharing this with you so you can do it too)…
 
You see me engaged in my own journey that is specific to me with help from the beachbody catalog of home fitness and nutritionals sharing my journey openly and honestly with the mistakes, the challenges, and my little victories that I score out of the ashes of big setbacks…
 
If you love health and fitness like I do, and you’re interested in making some money in health and fitness like I am, or if you just want to get healthy without making some extra money, Private Message me.
 
I love you dad I’m gonna keep making you proud of me working with the willing who wanna get healthy physically and financially.
 
-Tom

Since my dads passing this year I’ve found myself softening up in a way I didn’t see coming

Since my dads passing this year I’ve found myself softening up in a way I didn’t see coming..
 
As for me, today, when someone is mean and nasty all I see in them is emotional pain from something that they are trying to cope with and all I want to do is hug them.
 
Crazy? Liberal? Dumb? Weak? I don’t think so…
 
I don’t hug them because it could get me punched in the face..LoL
 
But the urge is there because honestly I just see pain in them even as they are lashing out with unmitigated meanness.
 
I’m actually enjoying how this feels.
 
It’s a DEEPLY peaceful enlightened feeling that I don’t know how else to explain. I’d even call it Emotional Bliss.
 
Blood pressure is relaxed and stays even. I would argue that weakness would be when you lose control over your blood pressure and you become triggered. It’s a normal human response but it doesn’t make triggered erratic blood pressured responses right. It’s just something to figure out and improve through our own very individual journeys of personal growth and development.
 
The only thing I personally demonize is the act of inaction in ones own perpetual personal growth and development which seems to be most people, sadly.
 
I can see my dad just shaking his head at me over this “I just wanna hug everyone” response because my dad would snap back as mostly anyone else would, too..LoL
 
However, my dad fought back much more brilliantly than anyone I’d ever seen because he was an intellectual genius with Encyclopedic knowledge about ANYTHING he was interested in. He could have been a Trial Lawyer and MASTER litigator if he wanted. But in his passing, its just so completely different. I just want to hug anyone in pain even those who cope with their pain less than gracefully.
 
Does that make sense?
 
Feel free to share this backwards way of thinking and feeling.
 
I love you Dad,
 
Tom

It’s been 12 days since I last physically talked to my dad.

Eventually it will be a month, a year, 10 years, 40 years…

I miss him.

I will always miss my dad.

I’m sad for me because I don’t get to run to him, talk to him, laugh with him, share pictures of my adventures with him, and ask questions as I always did with so much curiosity about almost everything.

My dad always supported anything I ever wanted to do as long as it wasn’t harmful. Sometimes he’d make sure I was committed before making a financial investment but once I passed his test he’d go all in on supporting me and I did not let him down. I saw things through. He admired that about me.

Anytime I had questions about anything he’d be there to answer all of them for me. He never rushed me or was too busy for me to answer questions and spend time with me. I was such a curious kid, and now a curious adult. I always had questions and wanted to show him stuff. I became more interested in seeing what he was doing and in his adventures as I got older. Always so excited to share experiences with each other.

His big Alaskan cruise he took with my mom happened just a few weeks before he passed away. I think I was just as excited as he was and I wasn’t even going with them. I counted down the days from dropping them off at the airport to picking them back up again at the airport 8 days later. I followed the ship tracker online to see their ships every move every day. So excited to see them again and ask them all about their trip, see pictures and videos they took, and possibly hear about my dads next big adventure to look forward to. Sadly the next big adventure didnt happen.. At least not the way we wanted it to. His next big adventure turned out to be eternal life after death.

I’m happy for him and sad for me.

I love you Dad.

Tom

The Clever Trick of Money being the Root of Evil to Keep you poor and Obedient

“the money is the root of all evil”, (a clever trick used to control people because the poor were easily subdued and obedient!) and financial ignorance and illiteracy of previous generations. Well, money is not evil, it’s how we use it. Financial independence is FREEDOM and it gives us the ability to live this very short and often messy life to the fullest. They always preach that we need to donate, donate, and donate…But how is one suppose to do that without money?!!! Nobody ever asks that question. What we need to teach our kids instead is: make as much money as possible while following your dreams, however, never ever be greedy about it or make it your whole life. Instead, once you make it, share it and use it to lift others up! – My friend Yelena wrote this.

Adding to her well spoken words..

LEARN ABOUT RESIDUAL AND PASSIVE MONEY.

Building your own passive and residual money unshackles you from the control anyone has over you via dependency of money to pay your bills and eat.

In my opinion the point of life is to focus on creating experiences not worry about money.

PAssive and residual money is the only money that can de-couple how you spend your time from your income so you CAN focus on creating experiences instead of worry.

If you’d like to see how I build passive and residual money, or to see a video I made about four ways of doing it, let me know ill show it to you either in this thread or privately whatever you’d like.

-Tom

P.s. If you’d like to work with me I don’t charge any fees I’m not going to sell you something you don’t want or need: http://workwithtom.fireyourboss.xyz

follow your heart

Have you enjoyed this? Was it helpful in breaking some circular thought patterns you might have been stuck in? Do you know anyone who could benefit from this? Sharing is caring. Share with friends and family.

Was this helpful? If so, I would greatly appreciate it if you commented and shared on Facebook and other Social Media, too. You might also enjoy Fire Your Boss & 31 Ways to Raise Money Now.

If you enjoyed my blog you might LOVE my YouTube video about changing one thing, the direction of your cash-flow, to change Everything:

If I was not so openly vulnerable to the world then I may not be getting such wonderful words of wisdom from so many people during my mourning of my fathers passing

If I was not so openly vulnerable to the world then I may not be getting such wonderful words of wisdom from so many people during my mourning of my fathers passing.

Don’t live in fear of being publicly vulnerable friends. I can’t imagine all the words of wisdom, all the love, all the support, I would have robbed myself of if I decided to shell up and live in fear of feeling how I feel openly and honestly.

I want to be just as good of a supporting loving friend as I love for people to be in my life, too

We want to love, to be loved, and have no reservations about that and absolutely zero manipulation, hidden agendas and motives.

Even people with a facade of darkness, I want to see their light no matter how dark their shell they’ve put on to try and protect themselves.

I’m just allowing myself to feel how I feel. No guilt. All my pain just comes from missing my dad and knowing I’ll never see him again the way I’m use to seeing him. I honestly can’t wait to see him again after I pass but without discounting life here on earth. That’s really important too, life here on earth. My dad worked hard and faithful so that my mom, my little brother, and I could have a wonderful life. I’m honoring that.

A friend said to me, “If you can allow feeling his or her soul closer to you rather than his or her body at this time it may help.” That resonated with me.

My dads passing has been the most devastating experience in my life I’ve never cried so intensely or as frequent. I need a loving support network in my friends and family.

For my 40th birthday I just wanted my dad and my mom and little brother. And I got them just a few months ago when I turned forty. It was one of my dreams and it happened. But sadly the last of my birthdays for my father. I think no matter when it happens, young or old, it’s a traumatic experiences that changes you forever. It certainly has changed me forever. I honestly want to be just as good of a supporting loving friend as I love for people to be in my life, too.

I love you friends. Feel free to share this if think you have friends who’d maybe need to read something like this.

I love you,

Tom

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Mary Buchanan P A Awesome. Your openness is very healthy and healing & quite possibly contagious ?

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Michelle Krebs Lagerquist I love your vulnerability as well as your strength. ?You are a beautiful soul Tom. It is apparent where you got it from. ?✌️❤️

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Yesterday at 10:34am

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Sandi Green I’m just so sorry for your loss, I’m thinking of you, huge hugs

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Karen Gibson You have a beautiful soul!!

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Yesterday at 11:44am

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Tj Bennett Only one Tom and he certainly does have a beautiful soul.. 

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Yesterday at 3:50pm

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Marge Thompson Lindsey I am so sorry for your loss. I have no wise words to add. Someday it will slowly get a little better.

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Vicki Bush Bredemeier I adore your transparency.    you are deeply loved in south carolina 

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Tawnya Guthrie Love you Tom, big hugs!! ???

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The most precious moments in the cycles of life.

The most precious moments in the cycles of life.

You will not want to live in fear of how bills are going to be paid or if you can’t get permission from a gate keeper at your job who may deny you.

When you NEED to be where you need to be you will be so glad you learned to become free financially from ALL your expenses.

This past week I needed to be with my family for my dad who passed away. No boss to check in with. No worry about bills or how I’d be covered financially. I was free to put my energy where it needed to be and all my expenses were covered anyway.

This wasn’t given to me. I had to earn it in the midst of a dark period of struggle in my life years ago.

I’m grateful I’m of the minority of our population who is a starter and finisher. It’s worth it for these most precious moments when we truly need that wonderful passive and residual income to de-couple our time from our income so we can be where we need to be when we need to be without permission from anyone but ourselves.

It took me a while to figure it out. No one would join me when I first started. You can figure it out too with our endless help if you’ll take it.

The simplified formula for setting yourself free financially is 1. Make a decision 2. tell the world 3. Figure it out by falling head over heals in love with learning and applying what you learn along the way a constant course of correction and re correction that never stops.

Don’t fail to start because you don’t know how. Do start so it can be revealed to you how.

Don’t quit after you’ve started because you made a mistake. Do make mistakes and allow them to reveal the path to the finish line.

See your mistakes along the path of learning for what they are, that is, your road map to being a finisher rather than a quitter.

Getting started and making mistakes QUICKLY is your key ingredient to setting yourself free financially so you can LIVE free of worry about how bills and other expenses will be paid for.

My dad was very proud of me, and still is from Heaven now, that his son started and saw it through without quitting. I don’t know if he thought I’d see this through when I first started and then again when I wasn’t making any money in the beginning. He saw me stick it out and create my own success and that honestly is one HUGE motivating reason for me that I wanted to see this through. I wanted to make my dad proud of me. He already was, but still, this was really important to me that he sees me be well financially too because residual bills are a fact of life that never goes away as long as we are living so I wanted residual and passive income to over power my residual bills.

My dad saw, just as we all see, most people do not start or see things through and always have an excuse to make it easier to live with themselves for being a non starter and a quitter.

That life style of quitting is not worth it because the real damage comes as a person chips away at their individuality and self esteem.

It’s impossible to create yourself according to your own individual authenticity if you live the life style of a quitter.

It’s nothing to beat yourself up over if that’s your past. If it is your past just draw a line in the sand TODAY and tell yourself along with the rest of the world you’re jumping over that line with BOTH FEET and you’re going to start living now as your own individual free thinking authentic self.

Then watch how the world around you benefits from your light.

No more of this quitting or procrastination non sense.

To my friends who have been faithful with what you’ve been given, remember you were once a quitter too til you decided not to be a quitter anymore. Love everyone, but, prioritize your home business time and energy for people who are ready to take action now because action is the only place where a positive impact can be created.

I love you all,

Tom

p.s. If you’re interested in looking at what I’m doing just ask and I’ll show and support whatever you wanna do this or something else. My dad loved that about me and how I helped other people get healthy financially and even physically. I always supported everyone. My dad would get so pissed at telemarketers who pitched the way they did and would keep going even after he said he wasn’t interested. He loves the fact I just love and support everyone and that I build a team of people who love and support, too. How I build and how I help others build is one of many ways I love to honor the life of my Dad. Please feel free to share this on your timelines maybe you’ve got some friends and family who’d love the messaging of this post.

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Debby Brown Partridge Thanks for sharing your awesome story!!! So glad to know you’ve got your ducks in a row…so proud of you & glad I r my friend!!! Have an awesome day!! ??xxx

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October 22 at 9:35am

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Yelena Prowell Very inspiring story. It’s great to see that you want to share your passion with people and genuinely care about lifting others up! The problem with our world today is that the people who do make it are greedy, everyone is out for themselves and the rest of the people are just suffering “slaves” and victims of poverty. Generations of people were blinded by the myth that “the money is the root of all evil”, (a clever trick that religious leaders of the old ages and various monarchies used to control people because the poor were easily subdued and obedient!) and financial ignorance and illiteracy of previous generations. Well, money is not evil, it’s how we use it, and unfortunately life without money in this world sucks! Financial independence is FREEDOM and it gives us the ability to live this very short and often messy life to the fullest. They always preach that we need to donate, donate, and donate…But how is one suppose to do that without money?!!! Nobody ever asks that question. What we need to teach our kids instead is: make as much money as possible while following your dreams, however, never ever be greedy about it or make it your whole life. Instead, once you make it, share it and use it to lift others up!

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October 22 at 9:08pm

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October 22 at 9:09pm

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Be where you NEED to be WHEN you need to be..

The most precious moments in the cycles of life.

You will not want to live in fear of how bills are going to be paid or if you can’t get permission from a gate keeper at your job who may deny you.

When you NEED to be where you need to be you will be so glad you learned to become free financially from ALL your expenses.

This past week I needed to be with my family for my dad who passed away. No boss to check in with. No worry about bills or how I’d be covered financially. I was free to put my energy where it needed to be and all my expenses were covered anyway.

This wasn’t given to me. I had to earn it in the midst of a dark period of struggle in my life years ago.

I’m grateful I’m of the minority of our population who is a starter and finisher. It’s worth it for these most precious moments when we truly need that wonderful passive and residual income to de-couple our time from our income so we can be where we need to be when we need to be without permission from anyone but ourselves.

It took me a while to figure it out. No one would join me when I first started. You can figure it out too with our endless help if you’ll take it.

The simplified formula for setting yourself free financially is 1. Make a decision 2. tell the world 3. Figure it out by falling head over heals in love with learning and applying what you learn along the way a constant course of correction and re correction that never stops.

Don’t fail to start because you don’t know how. Do start so it can be revealed to you how.

Don’t quit after you’ve started because you made a mistake. Do make mistakes and allow them to reveal the path to the finish line.

See your mistakes along the path of learning for what they are, that is, your road map to being a finisher rather than a quitter.

Getting started and making mistakes QUICKLY is your key ingredient to setting yourself free financially so you can LIVE free of worry about how bills and other expenses will be paid for.

My dad was very proud of me, and still is from Heaven now, that his son started and saw it through without quitting. I don’t know if he thought I’d see this through when I first started and then again when I wasn’t making any money in the beginning. He saw me stick it out and create my own success and that honestly is one HUGE motivating reason for me that I wanted to see this through. I wanted to make my dad proud of me. He already was, but still, this was really important to me that he sees me be well financially too because residual bills are a fact of life that never goes away as long as we are living so I wanted residual and passive income to over power my residual bills.

My dad saw, just as we all see, most people do not start or see things through and always have an excuse to make it easier to live with themselves for being a non starter and a quitter.

That life style of quitting is not worth it because the real damage comes as a person chips away at their individuality and self esteem.

It’s impossible to create yourself according to your own individual authenticity if you live the life style of a quitter.

It’s nothing to beat yourself up over if that’s your past. If it is your past just draw a line in the sand TODAY and tell yourself along with the rest of the world you’re jumping over that line with BOTH FEET and you’re going to start living now as your own individual free thinking authentic self.

Then watch how the world around you benefits from your light.

No more of this quitting or procrastination non sense.

To my friends who have been faithful with what you’ve been given, remember you were once a quitter too til you decided not to be a quitter anymore. Love everyone, but, prioritize your home business time and energy for people who are ready to take action now because action is the only place where a positive impact can be created.

I love you all,

Tom

If you’re interested in looking at what I’m doing just ask and I’ll show and support whatever you wanna do this or something else. My dad loved that about me and how I helped other people get healthy financially and even physically. I always supported everyone. My dad would get so pissed at telemarketers who pitched the way they did and would keep going even after he said he wasn’t interested. He loves the fact I just love and support everyone and that I build a team of people who love and support, too.   How I build and how I help others build is one of many ways I love to honor the life of my Dad.  Please feel free to share this on your timelines maybe you’ve got some friends and family who’d love the messaging of this post.

P.s. If you’d like to work with me I don’t charge any fees I’m not going to sell you something you don’t want or need: http://workwithtom.fireyourboss.xyz

follow your heart

Have you enjoyed this? Was it helpful in breaking some circular thought patterns you might have been stuck in? Do you know anyone who could benefit from this? Sharing is caring. Share with friends and family.

Was this helpful? If so, I would greatly appreciate it if you commented and shared on Facebook and other Social Media, too. You might also enjoy Fire Your Boss & 31 Ways to Raise Money Now.

If you enjoyed my blog you might LOVE my YouTube video about changing one thing, the direction of your cash-flow, to change Everything:

Grieving and Healing from the passing of someone you Dearly LOVE…

Grieving and Healing from the passing of someone you Dearly LOVE…

Whenever a friend would tell me their parent(s) passed away I would say something like, “I’m so sorry to hear that. I still have both of my parents so I have no idea what that feels like. I know there is nothing I can do that will prepare me for when I no longer have them and it terrifies me to think about it.” And then id turn it back to them letting them know I’m here for them even if just to listen because I don’t know what to say that could possibly help.

Now I’m on that other side of the fence that I never wanted to be on. It’s been 8 days since the passing of my father on oct 13th 2017. 3 days since my fathers funeral.

I feel disoriented, lost, like the universe is re arranging everything, light headed sometimes, constant pressure on my chest and knots in my tummy that won’t go away. I will never be the same. But never being the same is always true. This change of never being the same again is exponentially greater than other constant changes. A friend shared some advice with me that I believe I will start to share with friends who lose a parent or anyone really close to them. If you can allow feeling his or her soul closer to you rather than his or her body at this time it may help. Yes, I think that does help. We identify visually with our loved ones their temporary bodies that they occupy because it’s all we’ve ever known them to occupy. When they shed their very limited fleshly body they become truly free in their Light Form. Is there anything more liberating than that?

I’m happy for my dad that he is free now. Truly free. Even if you occupy a healthy body its still very limiting. My dad occupied a body that required an oxygen feed 24/7. His lungs were shot. His body was limiting him more than the average body but his spirit was so strong he still played poker, he still went on a cruise, he still went to Las Vegas, still got on an airplane, still lived life and wanted to do things despite struggling to breath.

I’m happy for my dad but sad for me because I’m here still in my temporary limited fleshly body missing my dad. I can’t wait to shed my body so I can see my dad again but at the same time I want to enjoy life in my temporary body and live the best life I can because my dad wants that.

I want the pressure in my chest to go away and the knots in my tummy to loosen. I want to feel my dads soul closer to me rather than his body.

If this helps you grieve the passing of someone close to you or if you have friends who you think this might help please feel free to share this around.

I love you friends and family and I love your friends and family, too.

Tom

p.s. ALWAYS leave on a positive note NO MATTER WHAT WAS SAID BEFORE because you never know when someone is going to pass even if they seem completely healthy and safe. Always spend the time you want to spend with people you love. The last thing I said to my dad, just four and a half hours before he passed away and totally coherent and not knowing this would be the last, “… I’ll see you again shortly ok?” to which he nodded yes and gave me a quick wave. I literally spent more time with my parents than at my home for years. When my dad was in the hospital for the last time I was up there visiting up 2 or 3 times every day for 12 days. I made sure we ended each visit on a good note for the last number of YEARS each and every time and still do with my mom. Please make sure you are doing something similar, ok?

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Patty Hannan My condolences 

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October 21 at 10:37am

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Tom Birkenmeyer Thank you. Im adding a p.s. right now that I just thought of.

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Lisa Carbonara Beautiful post Tom.  You are helping others through your soul writing .

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October 21 at 10:38am

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Lucia Cook My sincere condolences to you dear Tom!

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ReplyOctober 21 at 10:41am

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Tom Birkenmeyer I just added a VERY IMPORTANT P.S. at the end of my post. Please read it.

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October 21 at 10:42am

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Terrie Wendricks That is such a very very True ps so glad you expressed it I do that all the time also with my family as you truely never know …..we lost our father when he was only 58 ……so sorry for your loss hugssss and you did it best with all your heart and soul 

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October 21 at 1:48pm

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Jessica Franz I lost my father in 2009 .. the pain is like no other

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Tom Birkenmeyer Thats my experience too Jessica Franz. There is nothing like the passing of a parent that you are close to.

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October 21 at 10:46am

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Jessica Franz I still cry over my dad

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Cher Ann My parents are my best friends. I talk to them at least twice a day on the phone and try to go see them every couple of weeks. We video chat a lot too. I get sick at the thought of losing them so, just know that I appreciate your words, and I’m going to keep that in mind when something happens to my parents one day. Thank you Tom, and there is nothing I can say to make your pain any better, but I am sending you love and light

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ReplyOctober 21 at 10:48amEdited

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Dee Poulson Wish I could have had your writings before me when my beloved mom passed. You are truly an incredible soul, Tom Birkenmeyer

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ReplyOctober 21 at 10:48am

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Dee Poulson replied5 Replies

Kelly Taylor Rogers You are a modern sage, sweetie…blessed be the healers…especially when they are hurting so bad themselves. ?

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October 21 at 10:49amEdited

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Clarissa Winchester Allowing the happy memories you have of him to bring you comfort does help. It kept me laughing more than crying when I lost my daddy three days before Christmas in 2000. I will share that as long as you know he’s watching over you guys with love…. ???

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ReplyOctober 21 at 10:50am

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Tom Birkenmeyer replied1 Reply

Tom Birkenmeyer Cher Ann I am so glad you are taking my p.s. at the end seriously and that you already have been but you’re going to be even more conscious about it now.

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October 21 at 10:51am

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Cher Ann replied3 Replies

Ina Holiday I lost mt Dad last year- I still cant believe he’s gone…x

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Tom Birkenmeyer replied1 Reply

Alexis Jackson Touching post my Dad passed almost 17 years ago and my heart still gets heavy occasionally. All I can say the sorrow still exists but it gets lighter with time. Hugs and kisses

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October 21 at 10:54am

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Joyce Wingate Boyden replied2 Replies

Shannon Ramey My father passed away on Oct 10th. I’m so sorry for your loss… just know that I DO fedl your pain. As I have lost both my parents now. I feel like an orphan…

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Tom Birkenmeyer replied1 Reply

Judy Ann Skau Chapman I send my heartfelt and sincere condolences to you and your family and I do know the pain about losing a parent I lost both my parents and then I lost child so I do know the pain you’re feeling…

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October 21 at 11:02amEdited

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Bonnie McDonough My mom said she felt closer to her mom after my grandma passed because her spirit could be right next to her whereas her body couldn’t be when she was alive.

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October 21 at 11:24am

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Colleen Rasmussen Much love to you, brother, in your time of healing. I am sorry for your loss.?

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ReplyOctober 21 at 11:31am

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Wendy Faas Phillips Love and prayers Tom!

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ReplyOctober 21 at 11:38am

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Karen Wood Sent you a vox message.

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Carol Nace Lost my first parent in January. Learning that you never get over the grief, but more like you get through it. The literal heart aches can come and go, eased by deep meditation and crying. Also healed by taking Ashoka, an herb that means “no grief”, releasing the physical pains of going through such a loss.

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Carolyn Clapper Tom, as someone who lost both of her parents within 6 months of eachother when I was only 30, I understand. As your friend, and someone who has been through similar circumstances and watched both of her parents disintegrate slowly before her eyes, I know that there are no words that can relieve you of that pain, or erase the marks that that has left on your soul.

I just wanted to let you know that I’m here for you if you need anything. I guess I’ve been trying to keep my distance a little in this because I am a medium, and whenever I talk to someone who’s just lost someone close to them they always come through right away, and I don’t want to put that burden on either of us when you are not asking for it. But, that being said, whenever you’re ready I’m here.

Sending you loads of Love, strength, support, and healing energy (((((???))))—>>> he’s with you more now than he could be when he was struggling. He’s not gone, just in a different form now.

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October 21 at 12:12pm

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Cheryl Nye I know exactly what you are going through, Tom…..My heart goes out to you and your family……My heartfelt prayers and sympathies to you. Always know that your passed loved ones are around you every day….guiding, and watching over you… The strong bonds of love we share with our parents never end …. 

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October 21 at 12:15pm

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Susan Van Rensselaer I do know how you feel. Sometimes I feel like something is so heavy in my chest, tummy in knots, and tears. Felt like my world ended when I woke up and my son was off color. Called 911 even though I tried to get him to breathe and they were there in less thao 5 minutes. Hardest day of my life, I never had so much pain in my life. Totally heartbroken. Before I went to bed he was happy. Wished me Happy Birthday, told me that he got his good paying job back, took his daughter bowling, showed me a pic of his new girlfriend, said I love you mom, and I said I love you. His friend that I do not want him to hang with was here. My son told me he had to get up at 5a.m. So I set the alarm and went to bed. Somewhere between 2a.m. And 4:45a.m. My son died. His friend left before I got up. My son was only 28. I am the parent, kids are not suppose to die first. Then not even 2 weeks later my mom dies. It has been a little over 2 months and I still feel a void in my life. My mom was 78 and got to grow old and go naturally.

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October 21 at 12:26pm

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Lisa Sladek replied1 Reply
Suze Stedino Thank you. That was beautiful.
You are fortunate to have a belief structure that will help you understand. Death is not an ending

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Susan Van Rensselaer At times when I am alone and crying it feels like someone put a hand on my shoulder and I hear my son say it will be okay. He has walked with his sister in her dreams. He was always helping people and I am sure that God knew that he had a good heart. Maybe my brother that I lost 9 years ago, son, and mom greeted your dad in heaven. Your dad is getting to hear some gond jokes and stories if he is talking to my son. I still have Dustin My Boy on speed dial. It does not get easier but remember all the advise and good times. In spirit our loved ones are always there and they love us. Someday we will be with them but right now we are needed

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October 21 at 12:44pm

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Candis Lehnigk Beautifully said! Still have both my parents so dont know what you are going thru. Although I dont get to see my dad much!
My heart goes out to you!
Hugs!

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Candis Lehnigk replied5 Replies

Venus Perez Villars I lost my daughter who was only 24yrs old a month ago…The pain will fade but you will always remember them…My condolences.

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Susan Van Rensselaer replied1 Reply

Mahala Spann Thank you for sharing. So heartfelt.

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Jana Stillings I know it doesn’t help much, but I have not only always thought, but actually felt that those we love & are closest to never leave us. It takes time & healing, but if you allow yourself, you will be able to feel their presence & know they are there. Take care & be well my friend.

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October 21 at 3:25pm

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Beverly Gordon Norman Well said, Tom. I’ve never been in this situation and I appreciate your bravery in sharing how it really feels to loose your dad. I’m so very sorry you are suffering through this.
I try my best to tell my parents every day that I love them and I try to show that love by helping them out when ever I can. Your advise is on point. It’s very important to tell those we love how we feel and show them that love whenever possible. ❤️

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Michelle BowenPsychic Ive felt this since losing my Dad hun four years ago. My stepdad two years ago. The world is never ever the same. We are conscious of a part of us no longer being on the earth. Sending love. ?

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Karen Shunk Tom, you might like to read Mark Anthony the Psychic Lawyer’s book “Never Letting Go”. It brings incredible peace to the grieving.

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Donna Marie Oh Tom I’m so sorry for your loss ! (((Hugs)))

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Linda Simon Yes i will
And i have no words to comfort you. I lost both of my parents many years ago bit i left them on a good note. Strange my dad on his last breath “i will see you later”

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October 21 at 10:35pm

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Ileana Hope Merritt-Nairi Tom I wish I could lift your pain but I know you will find the blessings as it takes you deeper into your own soul …I can however offer this for the knots and pressure in your chest because when my son died I could literately hear my heart screaming (instantly knowing the deeper meaning of the primal scream). The knots I had were like wrenched balls of energy that would move to different parts of my chest…there was nothing I could do but feel it and pray to God or ask the Universe to lift it (or whatever higher power you resonate with by any name)…I repeated my mantra Please lord lift this from me….over & over…The sound and intensity of energy did lift within 2 days…Grieving is another story as everyone is different and does so in their own way…all I will say about that is the best way to honor them is to honor and love yourself as they would have you, then honor others- be gentle with you and I am here for you if you need to talk x0x

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October 22 at 2:57am

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Tom Birkenmeyer replied1 Reply

Kerry Prudles I still have both my adoptive parents and blessed. All you thst have lost your parents my hear breaks for you and I know when the time comes I will be inconsolable

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Tom Birkenmeyer replied1 Reply

Crystal Church Sending good thought and positive vibes. May your dad rest in peace

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Leesa Jones I lost my father in 1999 it is hard to believe it was over 17 years ago. Next to my husband, my dad was my best friend . I found it easier to talk to my dad then my mom so he was the one I went to. I miss him. There isn’t anything anyone can really do but try to comfort their friends. I hope you can find peace and comfort being near friends and other family members.

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Tom Birkenmeyer replied3 Replies

Lisa Sladek Tom, I can relate with what you are going through. My Dad passed this last April 19th… two days short of his 78th Bday. He also got full military honors, as he was a Marine and fought in Vietnam. Well after that he and my Mom had us 3 kids.. I was the youngest and was 3 years old when my Mom left. My sister is 10 years older than me and my brother is 12 years older, so they were quite close. I was Daddy’s little girl from day one. So he raised 3 kids on his own. He was my everything.. I’ve had this man in my life for 43 years every single day. I lived with him, and when I got a good job and he lost his wages at Chrysler, he lived with me. He was an alcoholic and I knew way back then, that he would just have drank himself to death. My brother and sister moved on… had their own families and their answer was always to put him in a nursing home. I could and would never even hear of that. So I just continued to take care of him… I had failed relationships.. also had 2 beautiful sons, and I was working full time made good money, bought a house and my dad was always with me. My youngest son’s father and I were together for 15 years so he actually knew my Dad and understood that no matter what he was part of my package. Well then at the age of 32 bam I had my first seizure. And on and on diagnosed with Epilepsy. No longer able to work and my now ex couldn’t handle my illness anymore. But my Dad sure never left my side.. not even once!! He was the best person in the world to me as a little girl and as a woman… and I’m so thankful my boys got to know him so good.. now the tears fall as I type this. I miss him every single day… I still cry every single day. It’s now been 11 years living with Epilepsy and I’ve been to so many doctors and 6 Specialists all over the place, I’ve tried every medication, eating healthy, and the seizures still come. I began to lose my faith a few years back because of my health, and my Dad would always say don’t worry honey… I have enough for both of us. So I’m trying so hard to find that again because this truly is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to go through in my life! My 8 year old will say so many wonderful things he remembers with tears in his eyes and I automatically cry, I can’t even try to hold the tears back. They just fall. This man was my hero, the center of my life, both parents in one, meant the world to me… and now he’s gone. Ugh it has not gotten any easier.. I’m just being honest because I’m not one to lie (something he taught me as a little girl) I now believe that it won’t get easier, we just learn to live with the pain and the void in our heart… I wish the best for you to heal and to believe in something positive to get through this.. believe me when I say… I am now trying my best to get my beliefs back into my heart as he died with his undying faith. Xoxo

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October 22 at 10:11amEdited

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Tom Birkenmeyer replied4 Replies

Johanna Anderson Thank you for sharing whats in my heart and touching my soul. xx

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October 22 at 1:24pm

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Kimberly Hall Hugs!

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October 22 at 7:52pm

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Katy S Dougherty You are not alone in your fear of losing a parent/ parents…

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Tom Birkenmeyer replied1 Reply

Holland Sybilla Sorry for your loss. My prayers go out to you.

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The uncontrollable crying has become less frequent Dad

The uncontrollable crying has become less frequent Dad, but you’re still heavy on my mind, pressure still on my chest, knots still in my tummy, and a huge void still in my heart.

Mom and I went to the funeral parlor to settle things with them. They are so unbelievably wonderful, helpful, personal, genuine. We really love them and they love us. Kris and her husband wish they could have known you. They missed out on a lot of laughter and great conversations. You were a mentor and teacher to many. The word “mentor” I do not say lightly. Mentor has a sacred meaning to it much more so than a teacher. Your intellect, wisdom, encyclopedic knowledge of anything you were really interested in in, your fast humor, stories, and puns, your creative sides, dad you had a lot of value that you added to peoples lives.

Jason came out to the funeral parlor after we basically had everything settled to say bye for now to you and see the body you temporarily occupied for 74 years. Its the visual representation of you that we have known and identify with that we miss along with everything else about you dad.

I had a few crying moments throughout the couple hours we were there. I’ll tell you about my biggest uncontrollable cry I had yesterday when we were settling things at the funeral parlor…

I wrote the personal check for your final expense. I wrote slowly and cried the entire time. Never have I taken so much time to write a check before and I hardly ever write checks anymore. I kept the carbon copy. I pressed hard to make sure I got a good carbon copy and I did. I even put a heart in the memo area along with a short description of the purpose of that particular check.

But here is the part of the check writing process where I broke down and cried the most…

I told them that we have a copy of the check that you wrote dad, for the adoption fee when you and mom adopted me when I was just a newborn baby and you’ve told me many years ago that it was the best check you ever wrote before in your life. And now here I was writing the final expense check for you dad. Oh wow I cried. The funeral directors were touched at the story! They believed you were right dad when you said that was the best check you ever wrote in your life for my adoption fees. Back in those days they use to send the checks back to you. They stopped doing that years ago now you can get images of sent checks. Today I won’t get the check back in the mail but I have that carbon copy and we still have the original check you wrote 40 years ago for my adoption fee. How amazing is that dad?

When we went to look at your old body you temporarily occupied one last time I recited the check writing story one more time and of course while looking at your old body that I visually identify with you I had one more uncontrollable cry before taking off with mom to the veterans office here in kenosha to get started on benefits for mom. The four of us in our bodies were together one last time dad. Three of us still occupying our temporary bodies, you’ve already vacated your body dad. While the four of us were there I quickly reflected on many other times the four of us were together such as long car rides to st. louis, various vacations, time spent at home playing games like aggravation, trips to uncle bobs and aunt claudias while you played cards and the rest of us kids ran wild in the basement, holidays, so much time the four of us have spent together over the years dad. I’m really happy about that. My final last words I spoke out loud to you, dad, to the body you once occupied for seventy four years, and with you listening to me from where you are now, was something like.. See you again shortly dad, ok? Thank you for adopting me. I really lucked out because I did not get to choose you. I got to write your final expense check 40 years after you wrote the check for my adoption fees. I love you. I really miss you badly dad. I probably said more I was really going on and on. The final last thing I said after all of that was the same thing I said to you while I last saw you one week ago today, “I’ll see you again shortly dad ok?” Then I walked out with mom to take her to the veterans office here in Kenosha to figuring out benefits for mom.

During our time at the funeral parlor we collected a beautiful vase and a couple of flower arrangements in baskets. Most importantly we collected your medals and ribbons from your distinguished career in the Navy. OH yes we have your USN tie clip too. Ohhhhh yes the sympathy cards, registry book, and some other things like that too. I really didn’t want anything else like the different flower arrangements and stuff like that. I don’t feel like I can stomach forming these emotional attachments to “stuff” I just want to cling to the memories and how I will move onward from here dad. The rest of the flowers will go to nursing homes which we are told are very much loved by the old folks. That’s really awesome! That’s where they should go then. The funeral directors husband is going to put some of the flowers over his grandpas grave. The funeral director was surprised at that! I thought that was pretty cool they are finding meaningful uses for these things that we don’t really need. Dad I know the family that owns and operates Bruchs funeral home does incredible word to help each and ever family and personalizes and handles so much for each of them… I’d be lying if I didn’t say I really believe they took on a particular heart felt interest in our family dad. Mom said she saw Kris, the funeral director, crying at one point. It could have been over something else I suppose. Who knows. Just the over all affection in addition to attention makes me belief shes great with every family she works with and helps, but ours had a particular special sense of intrinsic duty for her and her family to help and do for our family. I could be wrong but that’s what I think. Even after the expense is settled she’s still going to work with us when certain things come in the mail, with the death certificate which we are still waiting for, and other things. That’s amazing she is there for us that far out on a limb. Dad it feels like there really isnt all that much more to do to get everything settled. Its mostly just moms benefits. Right now we are waiting on the doctor to sign your death certificate so we can get all your accounts settled with mom and her benefits going. Apparently the doctor we are waiting on is the Hospitalist which as you know from your final hospital stay is a very busy doctor. Kris was hoping to have that signature yesterday along with the medical examiners report. So hopefully today then so we can move on these final things. I’m scared but also looking forward to getting past all this so we can begin figuring life out without you as we’ve always known you dad. How to figure everything out with your new status as Angel. My dad is literally an angel now. That’s pretty cool even though I’m still so sad and missing you so incredibly.

Last night was the poker league the day after your funeral. After Jason got things set up he was great. I didn’t play I just wanted to visit and be in the environment of it all. Something you really enjoyed dad was these poker league nights Big Dog Poker. The league you started with Jason. Now he’s figuring it out on his own. Lou Anne came with us. Michelle went with Aunt Claudia and having never played Texas hold ’em before in her life and not even knowing basic poker hands she almost made it to final table. Not bad Michelle! You use to call her Mikey I remember! You called Melissa, “Mel” and Michelle “Mikey” and it always made them laugh. Damn I miss that! Those little things. The big things. I miss everything. But today is a new day and tomorrow is always coming no matter what but in different unpredictable and sometimes very mysterious forms from what we are use to of yesterday. Dad I remember some of the talk about you at poker last night. One of your players said your favorite pocket had was a jack and ten because you seemed to get lucky with that hand. Others talked about and marveled in amazing at how you could count cards in your head and know exactly what everyone had in their hand that way and know exactly what to do based on statistical odds. I would say the proof if that is “in the pudding” because you won more than anyone in the league pretty consistently. Your brother, my uncle bob, was a brilliant mental card counter too. Anytime anyone went against you two they would get their clock cleaned and in a frustrating way, for them!!! LoL because they knew you what was in their hand, what was left in the deck, just based on your ability to count cards and remember it all in your head as each hand progressed and your opponents could not do that!!!! Yeah that frustrated them but they kept coming back for more probably because their fascination in your ability to do that over powered their frustration about it. Pretty cool dad. Pretty cool.

Dad I’m getting better. I’ll know for sure though after everything here is settled which I think will be soon. Otherwise I don’t know how I’m doing. I just know I think for now I am getting better.

It will never go away dad I’m always going to miss you and crave to see you again.

Like you said on your final days in the hospital, “It’s sink or swim.”

On facebook the other day I posted in a Heart themed frame box that facebook makes, “Every Birthday is 1 step closer to Heaven without discounting our short time on Earth – me
Share.”

It got some cool heart felt comments, some likes, loves, shares. I’ve been sharing a lot of stuff like that and typing up big ole self expression storms like this with literally thousands of comments, likes, loves, a really good number shares and different engagements and interactions. I think as people learn more about you dad and the bond you and I have it’s helping people. How cool is that dad? So I’m going to keep doing this as I need to for my own therapy and just be completely open, forthright, even vulnerable about it all.

I even made a humors post about Boobs yesterday..LoL See dad I’m making progress. Everyone knows about my fascination with boobs I hope that never stops. I don’t think it will.

I’ll see you again shortly dad ok?

-Tom

P.s. The cubs got knocked out of the play offs yesterday in a big ole upset in their own home town. 11-1 was the final score. So the world series this year in 2017 will be between the LA Dodgers for the national league and either the Houston Astros or the New York Yankees for the American league. Let’s see how your life time favorite team does next year, the St. Louis Cardinals. I’ll be rooting for them for life dad right along with you. I probably still won’t really watch much or follow it but anytime I happen to see an inning or catch a headline about the cardinals ill sure be thinking of you mostly dad, and rooting for them to win right along with you as I always have. Oh yeah, the sport I have the least amount of interest in, football… Aaron Rodgers is out for the season with a broken collar bone I heard. I know you are a life long football fan, baseball, and basketball. You love the green bay packers. So What does this mean for them to lose their star player for the year? Can’t be good, I guess? Jason would know I’m sure. You have encyclopedic knowledge of these sports. Amazes me. You amaze me dad every day.

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Athena Garcia I’m so sorry for your loss.

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ReplyOctober 20 at 9:35am

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Christy Richardson all the love to you!

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Juanita Haselwood Tom its been 4 years since my dad had passed and I still greive and feel lost .sorry tom for your loss

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Karen Gibson My heart aches so bad for you. I cried when I read this. It broke my heart. I can’t image what you are going through. I can’t imagine losing my parents. It will kill me. My mom is my best friend. Oh geez now I’m crying again. I can’t even type this without getting emotional. I just want you to know I’m here for you. I will keep your family in my prayers. Xoxo

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October 20 at 9:41am

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Ann Schierling So sorry for your loss, Tom…hugs. ??

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Florence Arquitt I’m so sorry I wrote you a post yesterday!

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Paulette Runkel You will have MOMENTS along the way. It’s a part of memories and that’s a good thing?. I know well as I just lost my mother shortly before your awesome dad. So keeping this up is a way to heal.

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Debbie Roberts Im so sorry for your loss and pain

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Debby Brown Partridge My heart is going out to you…having gone thru this in 2000 when my dad (best friend) passed away…then my mom in 2008…u never forget all the happy memories!! They will always b there. Praying that God will give you comfort & strength you will need…love you, Tom!!! Rest assured we r all praying for you my sweet warrior friend!!! ??

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Jeanne Penner Beautifully written , Tom! ❤️

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Sherry Champion-Stewart Tom I’m so sorry that you are going through so much heart ache. I lost my father to lung cancer in 2008 and it’s never easy losing a parent. They say time heals but it doesn’t really . Just learn to keep his memories alive by talking about him always or listening to his favourite music . Know that he is by your side always

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Arlene Paraiso replied4 Replies

Kat James Be strong Tom. It gets better. I too went thru that. Really hurts.

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Stacy Sain Schenk ? Tom I’m so very sorry for your loss. Time does heal. I lost my mom in 2004 and my Dad back in January of this year. It’s hard but you’re a strong man and you have so many friends want to surround you with love and strength. ❤️❤️❤️

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October 20 at 10:08am

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Theresa Marie Love God Bless you,, Love never dies celebrate his life relive the good times in your mind He is eternally with you.. You have to live and be happy he wouldn’t want you to be sad for a second… love to you …

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Christine Pederson In very sorry and sad for you!!?

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Tanya Hummer My condolences Tom

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Susan Turkel Young My heart aches for you!! I lost my beloved father 45 years ago. It’s a pain I still feel today. I lost my mother in 2010 who I took care of for 11 months, That is a pain I will never get over and to make matters worse my husband died exactly 5 months later. Your father will always be with you. He lives in your heart and your many memories of him!! Hugs to you!!

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Diana Marieta All of your thoughts in the written word is helping you cope. I never got to do that when my parents passed. There will be times when you think you’re dealing well with it…and something brings back a memory and tears. But, love is forever and forever our angels will be with us until we are united once again. Sending prayers your way.

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Theolynn Carpenter This breaks my heart!! I hope you are able to endure and in time come to peace with it all. I’m not gonna say anything cliche. I just really send my love and blessings your way and to your family also Tom!

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Jodi Giardina Hi Tom. I’m so sorry to hear that you lost your Dad. What you wrote is such a lovely memorial to your Dad…it sounds like he was a wonderful person. I lost my Dad, too, and I know how difficult this time is. Right now it’s probably hard to keep hearing that it takes time, but there really is no other answer. You never really stop missing them, you just kind of accept that they’re no longer around. My Dad died just about 10 years ago ( it will be 10 years in Dec ) and I still miss him. It doesn’t feel like 10 years…it feels like much less than that. Keep writing and talking and reminisce about your Dad…those memories are what will make you feel better, eventually, and for the rest of your life. <HUGS>

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Rachel Gendreau Big hugs!!

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Juanita Haselwood No not for me at all tom .he was my best friend. My two brothers too I lost one was killed and still a open case frim 1988

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Cindi J Rogers Tom, your beautiful words about your dad, I wish I could take away your pain. My dad has been gone 4 years now, I still cry and miss him deeply. It never goes away, it just becomes easier. It’s the new normal, I guess. Try not to rush your grief, it will only push you farther behind. Cry, write, and talk. I talk to my parents ALL the time. I am also in grief counseling. My dad was my best friend, my rock, I have such a strong bond with him. Like you, I paid my dad’s final expenses. I have my original birth bill my dad saved of my birth.

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Cher Harding – Bruin Tears Rolling For Your Heart Tom. I Am Adopted As Well & Close To My Daddy.

((Healing, Heartfelt Condolences & Hugs))

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Mahala Spann Thinking of you. Sending love.

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Hanan Hall So very sorry Tom, warm hugs and prayers for you and your Mom and family, God Bless.

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Vicki Bush Bredemeier   

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Anne Marie Lotter-inchiostro Remember all of the good times and embrace them as your dad wants you to be happy… Xoxo

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Valerie Sanford Pinotti So sorry for your loss sweetheart… You’re in my prayers

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Norelle Walters Love you Tom . My prayers are with you!

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Cynthia Shetterly Such an endearing heart felt letter, I started to tear up. Those great memories and pictures are gonna be so much more valuable but what’s in the heart, nothing can be bigger then that ! A good dad that made A good eternal impression in your heart, including the legacy of love that was given to you will walk with you all the days of your life, and the beauty is that a piece of them is still with us forever and knowing that it’s ” so long” not ” goodbye” makes it a little more bearable for us to live without them for now,,, until we meet again. Then there is God to whom we can draw strength from when there’s no where else to get it. That was a beautiful letter tom, a real from the heart one ❤️

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Cynthia Shetterly My brother has passed away 30 yrs ago, one of my sons passed 15 yrs ago, my dad 8 yrs ago and my mom passed 1 1/2 yrs ago and my son chad passed away just 2/12 months ago at 13 yrs old. Also my favorite aunt and grandparents, I’m starting to feel very alone these days, and for me personally it does not get easier with time, I can tuck it away but as soon as o I see a picture of them or talk of them or even going to the grave, it all pours out uncontrollable sobbing like it happened yesterday. That’s just me tho. It might be easier in time for some but I hear from friends that time doesn’t make it easier for them either

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Johanna Anderson My heart goes out to you and your family Tom.

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Sian Lindemann Let yourself feel it all …for it full of LOVE

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Debby Jo Beautiful ❣️

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Amelia R Patterson  sweetie. Lost my mom in July. I still have yet to fully allow myself to grieve.

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October 20 at 2:13pm

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Linda Engelmann Everyday there is always something that reminds me of my dad. I never had the time a child is supposed to have with a parent but pain and tears are still there. 51 years later after he was Kia the tears and still the same. He is in my heart that keeps beating daily. Now that I am a mom grandmother sister aunt friend was wife etc. I am doing what I can as a legency to leave behind while I am still here on this earth. I hope I will be in the heart of many as my dad was.

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Charyl Lynn I went through these very same emotions when I lost my Dad then Momma 8 months later. I don’t have any Magic words to take away your pain. The amount of grief you are feeling is a Testimony of the Love you have for Your Dad. Nobody grieves the same. What’s Wonderful is His Legacy! It’s been nearly 6 years and I Still find myself crying and a lump in my throat. The emptiness and heartache subsides over time. But, his Memory will live on as long as You Remember Him. Prayers hon for comfort to you and Your Mom. (((((Hugs))))) Positive Energy and Light…

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October 20 at 4:19pm

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Andrea Bernstone So heartfelt, bless you and your family at this sad time ?

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Rhea Rivera Sorry for your loss.

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Katy S Dougherty I kind of understand what you are going through honey, seeing as I just lost a good old friend of 13 years who was like a 2nd mom to me to cancer an attended her wake/ funeral on 10/11/2017 

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Katy S Dougherty replied2 Replies
Amina Bentivegna These posts have been reading like a true life novel, Tom… so poignant, so descriptive like an old 1940’s radio show, a Fireside Chat… very warm, touching with a sense of really inviting “us” into “your” world…
It has to feel wonderful having such a loving & large close knit family to gather ‘round & share memories.
I grew up in such a family myself… large, Italian & close-knit… oh, the stories, the inside jokes, the shared memories. My father passed when I was 6 1/2 yrs old. The memories I had of him were fleshed out, added to & filled in by my family on both sides so I had a more complete image. Nothing can replace that (and the stories never get old… just richer & more powerful in the re-telling…)
I send my heartfelt prayers, hugs & love to you & your family, Tom…
??❤️??

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Amina Bentivegna replied2 Replies

Joanna Kruk So sorry to hear about his passing!!! Hang in there hun…..

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Leslie P. McMillan You’ll dream of your father, I promise. It will be when he’s ready, not you. But the dreams will happen. See if I’m not right. I’m so sorry for your loss, but I promise you he’s not far away. ???

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Pam Lawbaugh What a nice post. In our thoughts/prayers.

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Debbie Golding Love this post Tom your dad will never leave completely. He will be around watching your accomplishments and smiling. I am so proud of how strong you are just now.
We are sadly about to face the first anniversary of my dad’s passing on the 30th November. I’m not sure how we will cope with this. We plan on planting an oak tree for him in the garden on the day. He loved his trees, we bought some acreage and trees in a conservation area in his name as well as donating to the cancer research charity, the submariner charity and the Naval veterans charity. He left the Royal navy as acting commander so I know where you are coming from with the connections.
Please take the time to heal, cry and make use of the friends around to remember him by. Xx

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Tom Birkenmeyer replied1 Reply

Laurie Jacobson Heartwarming loving heroic. Peaceful well written beautiful ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

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Arlene Paraiso You have a beautiful adoption story. And a beautiful father and son story. I really like the meaning of the checks… its a beautiful exchange. For lack of a better word… just shows how we take care of one another oin this temporary time on earth together. I visit my dad’s grave and my mom always wonders at how my dad’s and grandparents earthly remains occupy just 6 feet away… they aren’t there anymore but their remains of what we knew are. You’re wiring reminds me of my mom’s thoughts on this.

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October 21 at 10:54am

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The morning after my dads viewing and full military honors..

The morning after my dads viewing and full military honors..

Dad, oh wow you were LOVING what happened yesterday. You were eating it up with a big grin on your spiritual face. I didnt know how many would show. I believe you had more people at your funeral than grams did. I don’t remember ever seeing so many people show up for something like this anywhere else, ever. The viewing room was so full it overflowed into another room. So much respect, support, and LOVE from so many people. This has to be a tell tale sign of your influence dad, and how you made people feel. I’ve said this before, dad, we don’t get to choose our parents. I really lucked out with you and mom. Of all those peoples lives you’ve positively impacted I get the distinguishing relationship of a father and son relationship with you. How did that happen? I got really very super lucky Dad. Thank you for adopting me. Thank you thank you thank you for adopting me. And dad, even if just a few showed or if it was just us in immediate family, I still feel the same about our relationship. This was just a really nice bonus that so many people came to be there with us. Oh and get this.. Jason was given this really nice poker box with poker chips in it signed by each of the poker players. So many of them! The put a lot of thought and care into the design of the whole box and everything in it and presented it to jason. Oh my god it was so nice.

Dad you wanted full military honors and to be in your uniform one last time. We made it happen dad. We really did! And guess what? When the order came in for you to have full military honors, the active duty navy chief who is in charge of the entire state of Wisconsin saw your distinguished Navy career and said, “Ill take this one”. He traveled a long distance to conduct your full military honors. There were active duty sailors sent from Great Lakes Navy Base to fold your flag. And locally here in Kenosha there is a Vietnam War retired veterans group that came in to participate in the full military honors because you too are a retired Vietnam War Veteran. None of them knew you when you were living in your earthly body. They saluted their Senior Chief, that’s you dad. All of your Medals and Ribbons were on display. A couple people asked what each medal was for and I’m sorry to say I did not know. I remember asking you MANY years ago and I just don’t remember what your answers were.

One thing I WISH I had thought of was to ask the funeral director to let me do a eulogy for you. She did a GREAT job with your eulogy dad. As she was talking on her podium it just hit me that I would have loved to have been speaking about you Dad. I’m not going to beat myself up over it. It’s just something I wish I had done for you. But you know what? Next best thing will be to write these blogs to tell everyone about you, my Dad. I know you will never agree with me, and others you’ve positively affected, because you are so damn humble, but we think the whole world should know about you and others like you. The world deserves to be positively infected with your kind of laughter, love, hope, fighting spirit when things are both good or bad, your memories dad… I’m going to do my part to tell the world about you and I bet the more people who know about your life the better off the world will be. And dad, you loved to serve your country and make the world a better place for everyone. I can’t imagine a better way to perpetuate your service to your country and to the world than to continue sharing all about you with the world.

Dad, facebook is pretty neat isn’t it? You got on facebook I think in about the year 2011? We really didnt talk much through facebook. I don’t know if I regret that or not. Probably not because I saw you in person nearly every single day. And for a while now I’ve literally spent more time with you and mom than I have at my own house. Yeah that’s infinitely better than facebook! It was nice to have both though. Whenever I did see you comment on a post of mine, or like something I posted, I took notice each and every time and I smiled big. I really did. My dad liked what I posted! That’s pretty cool. I havent visited your page hardly ever over the years. I don’t know if I want to right now. That might take some time before I go on your facebook pages. You have two of them! One for your friends who knew you as Larry, and another one for people who knew you as John in the later half of your life. Dad you were always VERY organized, thoughtful, excellent planner, wrote things down etc.. THANKFULLY I was able to easily find your list of passwords and other things like that. I was able to log into your laptop, your email, and both of your facebook accounts. I put the word out in both of them, posting as you, but announcing myself as your son in the very first line, so that all of your facebook contacts could know that you’ve passed on. I don’t know if I want to request to have facebook turn your pages into a memorial yet. I already added myself as your legacy contact. If your accounts get turned into memorial accounts then I will no longer have access to your inboxes. If I can’t get into your inboxes then if someone writes you privately thinking you’re still alive in your body then I won’t be able to let them know otherwise. So for now til I decide what I want to do I will keep your facebook accounts as they are. I love the profile picture you have up! I remember taking that picture of you at the house on the front porch. It’s a great picture of you dad.

So today Mom and I are going back to the funeral parlor to meet with the funeral director at 11 am. We’ve never done any of this before dad so it’s all new to us. You were the one who handled matters like this with paper work and figuring things out. Your body will still be in the viewing room but you won’t be there to handle this as you always did so easily. It’s going to be hard but we can do it dad. We are told there will be lots of paper work. I have no idea how long this will take, or what it all consists of, but so far the funeral director has been so helpful in all of this. We picked a good funeral parlor by all accounts so far.

So dad, I hope you don’t mind all these public posts I’m making for the whole world to see. I need to for my own therapy. It may be a little self ish on my part. I am hurting. I miss you so much and I am sure I will miss you every day for the rest of my life even if I live to be 100, which I don’t think I want to live that long by the way. My second most important reason for writing this is because I believe you are receiving my love, dad, and I want you to feel love overflowing for eternity. You deserve that and I’m hoping I deserve that, too. My third most important reason for writing all these posts for the whole world to see is, like I mentioned before, you loved being of service to your country and for the whole world to be a better place for everyone, and what better way can I help you accomplish that dad than to share with the whole world about my Dad, Dad. It’s not about forcing anything, but just about sharing to anyone anywhere who intrinsically wants to receive your light.

Dad, a life span on earth is so short compared to eternity. I will see you again shortly. I cannot wait to see you again dad. While back here on earth living in this temporary body I have it sure seems like an eternity to have to live the rest of this life without you, but I know in reality this is nothing and we will be together again Shortly. Thats what I said to you when I last saw you in your temporary body. I said see you again shortly ok? And you nodded yes and gave me a quick wave. I thought I would see you again shortly like I ALWAYS had. But this time it will be in heaven. And I know it will be heaven because you are there and that is where I want to be. One day not far from now you, me, mom, jason, and soooooo many others will be in heaven together and that is for eternity. That’s the real treasure. It’s not here on earth. But that’s not to discount the treasures that can be had here on earth. That’s not reason to not live this life to the fullest. You lived your life in your temporary body to the fullest and you fought to do so even when things were bad and not easy. Most people quit when things are too hard. Its easy to be well when things are going well. It’s a true show of character, soul, and spirit to squeeze all you can out of life even when life is the toughest. Dad, I believe you know about that just as much as anyone and especially more than the average person. You struggled to breath for at least a dozen years before your passing. Whatever one struggles with in life, Breathing is a vital behavior because without it your body is dead.

Well dad, mom just got up. I think I typed out mostly everything I wanted to for now, a day after your services. And we need to meet with your funeral director in about an hour and forty minutes from now.

I will see you again shortly ok?

I love you,

-Tom

p.s. Dad this is really hard on me. I go back and forth constantly between feeling better and feeling worse again. Be patient with me. I know your dad passed on when you were even a little bit younger than me when you passed on. So you know what I’m going through. I could never totally empathize but of course I was sorry dad that your dad passed away so long ago. I never even got to meet him, my grandpa Larry. He passed on before I was even born. I don’t have any kids. You never got to be a grandpa. If I ever have kids ill be in the same shoes as you dad. Ill be making sure your grand kids know all about their grandpa they never got to meet. You would have been the best grandpa ever. I don’t want to say I regret not making you a grandpa because I know you admired my sense of responsibility, among other things, not loosely getting a woman pregnant and creating a disastrous situation. Dad you were always incredibly responsible in every way. I want to be responsible, like you, too. And so far I am. In love I have not been as lucky as you. I mean, you and mom have your problems like every marriage does, but you found mom and she found you. It all started on a blind date. I guess the blind date went well dad?  44 years of marriage. WOW! Most people divorce and maybe some of them rightfully so. Others divorce because they don’t want to work past there problems. You and mom worked passed your problems. Right up to the end dad you LOVED doing things for mom. I guess I didn’t really appreciate that until after your passing because when you and mom did have your problems here on earth it did upset me GREATLY. Sorry to ramble dad. Ok we have an hour and 32 minutes til mom and I have to see the funeral director now..LoL See you again shortly dad..

Bye for now.

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Lisa Kot Rigsby Much love & prayers sent your way Tom Birkenmeyerbeautiful words

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ReplyOctober 19 at 9:35amEdited

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Evelyn A. Roper Beautiful. He certainly had to be a great man, and he raised a wonderful and loving son.

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October 19 at 9:37amEdited

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Darlene Rigsby Thank you sir first of all Tom Birkenmeyer what a beautiful way to honor your daddy. Sorry for your lost. Prayers and positive energy for you and your family

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Diana Marieta A wonderful tribute and honor to your dad…Know he is with you and is so proud of you. He is in Paradise…

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Sandy Wolfe Tinsley That was beautiful Tom. He sounds like he was a wonderful man. 

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Audrey Fox Beautiful, heartfelt sentiments!

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Tracy Wardlaw That was a wonderful letter from a loving son. I am praying for you today my friend. Hugs

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Clarissa Winchester This is so beautiful! Thank you for sharing all of this with us. ???

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Lisa Talley Praying for you

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Connie Guevara Thank you for sharing that with us Tom . Big hugs and prayers for you and your family. I know what you’re going through. I was there when my mom died in 2014. And my dad died March of 2015.

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Heather Gauthier BIG HUGS and Thanks to Your DA for his service

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Crystal Marie Bliesner The love for your dad is so special.

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Julie Ann Walvatne What a beautiful post about your dad, Tom. You truly were blessed to have such an incredible father…. it’s an absolute pleasure to read your words of honor and love for your dad…. thank you for sharing his life with us….. praying for you, your mom, and brother today.. hugs?

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Katrina Taylor Case Much love!

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Karen Colón Beautiful…… keep expressing Tom! ?hugs!

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Donna Capodicasa thank you for sharing, healing sent to you , mom and your brother 

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Giselle Toner Tom, your dad sees all of this, and I know he’s loving your tribute to him! ♡

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Krista Brookins Love ya Tom. Hugs my riff roaring friend.

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October 19 at 2:34pm

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Minnie Autymn Lilith Max Hon….You are an amazing person…truly. Your Dad is so very proud of you. Much love and prayers to you and your family. 

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Kevin Kornelik Your Dad was a strong man that accomplished everything so effortlessly. That was the Senior Chief that kicked in everyday. Your Dad has left his mark on the world. He had an impact on thousands of sailors during and after his tour of duty. He was a great military man. So often I thought that the Navy and your Dad represented the same ideals. You could not separate them because your Dad was all Navy. He was also a good friend that was there whenever you needed him and so glad we were friends for over two decades. It will be so hard to fill this big void that your father left. I struggle to move on but your father would telling us to move forward with our lives. Although he is gone, he is still here with the memories and life lessons he taught us. As time goes on we will hurt less but never forget.

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Sheri Lyn And you are not a novel/story writer why? Gifted! ✌️?Sending love. ?

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Andrea Bernstone Your beloved father is so proud of you, your words are so eloquently expressed. My heart breaks for you all but then rejoices for the fact that you have the most wonderful father and he has a amazing son ?

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Beverly Gordon Norman Prayers for you Tom! So sorry for your loss. ??❤️

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Lola Schiefelbein Stunning dedication, Tom…your dad heard every word, I know…

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Patsy Rideout What a wonderful way to honour your Dad & you know, he knows, all of this & is proud of who you are. Stay close to your Mom, she’s gonna need to see you as much as before, maybe more. Another way to honour your Dad is in being good to her & help her with things he may have done before. Very touching comments. Stay strong in your weakness & remember others’ weakness when you are at your strongest…good humans are harder to find these days. Peace to you & your family.

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Patsy Rideout “THE ROSE STILL GROWS BEYOND THE WALL”

Near a shady wall a rose once grew,
Budded and blossomed in God’s free light,
Watered and fed by morning dew,
Shedding its sweetness day and night.
As it grew and blossomed fair and tall,
Slowly rising to loftier height,
It came to a crevice in the wall,
Through which there shone a beam of light.

Onward it crept with added strength,
With never a thought of fear or pride,
It followed the light through the crevice’s length,
And unfolded itself on the other side.

The light, the dew, the broadening view
Were found the same as they were before;
And it lost itself in beauties new,
Breathing its fragrance more and more.

Shall claim of death cause us to grieve,
And make our courage faint or fail?
Nay! Let us faith and hope receive:
The rose still grows beyond the wall.

Scattering fragrance far and wide,
Just as it did in days of yore,
Just as it did on the other side,
Just as it will for evermore.

Clear Dotby A. L. Frink

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Lorraine Cohen  R.I.P  may your papa’s soul have an easy rise! Tom sorry to hear aout your papa passing on 

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Connie Ziegenhagen Tom my deepest condolences to you and your family! I read all of that post and I remember feeling just that way when my dad passed away. The ups and downs and back and forth feelings and all of it! XOXO MY friend

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October 20 at 9:50am

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Linda Simon A beautiful tribute to your dad. I thank him for his service. I thank you for speaking about his personality. Such love from a son. He heard you.

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Dad your final services are today with full military honors – You once said “It’s Sink or Swim”

“It’s Sink or Swim” My dad said just a couple days before he became immortalized as an angel. As it turns out he didn’t sink or swim. His body sunk but my dad floated up into Heaven where ever and whatever that is. I imagine it has to be blissful because my dad is there and I cannot wait to be with him again when I’m suppose to.

Today is the one and only day We are going to gather with family and friends around the body my dad occupied for 74 years. He will be in his navy uniform just as he wanted. Senior Chief Birkenmeyer, my dad, will be getting full military honors for an entire career he served so proudly for a country he loves so much and worked so faithfully hard for myself, my mom, and my little brother to have wonderful lives.

Dad, you’d be so proud of mom and Jason. They are sad but they are doing so good. Honestly I think I’m the one taking it the hardest. I’m really struggling Dad. Ya know, the “strong one”. Not so much right now. This has broken me but I will process this and I promise to be ok and put back together again. This morning I actually feel better than I have since you passed away. I hope this is the beginning of my healing. However, I have no idea how I will respond later today when I see the body I’ve been so familiar with for my entire 40 years of life, so far, that I’ve always known as “Dad”. But dad, I know that it’s not just your visual body I’m so familiar with. For 40 years I’ve experienced your love, support, anger, frustrations, your puns, your jokes, your whole multi faceted personality and even still I bet there are parts of your personality that I never got to know. There are so many memories I have that have helped to grow me into who I am and who I will continue to become, dad. You and mom have ALWAYS influenced me more than anyone else on planet earth. Now you influence me by memories rather than new experiences. But new experiences from here on out will still be created with the influence you had and will ALWAYS have on me. Dad I hope you can read these messages. I hope you can hear me when I talk to you. Because I want you to know you are loved and missed and I want what we are doing to fill you with overwhelming joy because you deserve it for eternity where ever you are.

I love you Dad.

The very last thing I said to you just approximately four and a half hours before you passed on was, “I’m going to go home now and help mom make some phone calls to hire home health care and get everything ready so we can be prepared to have you come home as soon as we can so I’ll see you again shortly ok?” to which you nodded yes and gave me a quick wave as you labored so hard to breath with your bipap machine on forcing air into your tired lungs. I did come back with mom about four hours later because we had a meeting with the hospice social workers and nurses to talk about how we were going to bring you back home. I peaked into your room because we were a few minutes early and if you were sleeping I did not want to wake you. You were sound asleep with your bipap mask on. I looked on you for three or four seconds consoling myself that you were sound asleep. It was wonderful to see you sleeping so peacefully. It had not even occurred to me that maybe you were no longer there at that moment. You just looked alive and peacefully sleeping for a really nice change so I went back over to mom and told her you were snoozing hard let’s not wake you until the hospice people showed up so we could all talk together about your discharge. Your bipap machine made it look like you were breathing, and maybe you still were, we do not know for sure. It was about 25 minutes after I checked in on you the hospice social workers and nurse arrived. It was time to go into your room and wake you up so we could discuss bringing you back home on hospice care.

The nurses were right in front of me. We basically walked in together and I discovered you with them. Dad I froze when I saw you because it looked like you were gone. I did not like the position your body was in all slouched to the side in a very uncomfortable position and with your breathing mask off which you cannot get air into your lungs without. I didnt know if possibly that just happened seconds before we walked in or maybe just after I checked in on you about 25 minutes earlier when you were sitting upright in your chair appearing to be getting much needed sound sleep. I didnt like the color on your face. Everything was scary. Neither mom or jason saw you like that it was just me and the nurses. Mom was in the hospital wheel chair behind the curtain where she couldnt see you. I looked back at her, she looked at me, I said, “wait mom”… Knowing she was confused, maybe even scarred, I didnt know what to say while the nurses were working on waking my dad up. He has do not resuscitate orders. I shouted softly, “Does he have a pulse?” They told me you were still breathing dad. They closed the door for a few minutes. Different nurses were coming and going. They told us they were going to transfer you from the chair to the bed and just needed a few minutes to do that and then we could see you. They even went to get that big machine that transfers people. They knew you were gone but they needed a Dr. to pronounce you to be gone. I understand why they did what they did. They don’t know how we were going to respond right then and there discovering you like that. They didnt know if we would get in the way of what they were doing, if we would become violent towards ourselves, others around us, if we’d start destroying property, smashing medical equipment in a rage… Who knows. So I completely understand why they were lying to us. Jason actually showed up while the charade was going on asking “so what are we talking about guys?” He was in a happy mood to be there visiting his dad, dad. At that point I believed the nurse who told me that you were still breathing and that they were transferring you from the chair into the hospital bed even though I thought you were dead when I first saw you upon walking into your room with the nurses. So I let jason know they were transferring you and wed be let in in a few minutes. He went to use the bathroom I think while we waited. Mom was talking to the social worker who was waiting with us outside of your room about how you cannot breath laying in bed. We were both questioning how this was going to work trying to transfer you from your chair into the hospital bed. She assured us they’d find a “sweet spot” for you in the bed. She was really nice to be honest. Again I completely understand why they did what they did. The social worker waiting with us I believe did not know that you were gone because she had not seen you up to that point and the nurses in your room were working hard in your room. Well dad, one of the nurses came out from behind the curtain and told me, “he has no pulse”. She was pleasant about it. Extremely nice in the most delicate set of circumstances with the most delicate of news to give to someone. I said, “you said he was breathing?” in a soft voice. She said, “it was his machine breathing”. I looked down to mom in the hospital wheel chair and we began crying and holding each other. The nurse asked us if wed like to come in for a moment with you dad and we could take as much time as we needed with you. I went in with mom. Jason was still in the bathroom. We saw your newly vacated body dad. I’ve never seen a dead body before you dad except after it’s all made up for viewing in a funeral home. I will see your former body in the funeral home later today. It’s been five days now since you passed on. The nurses had your body reclined. I havent seen you recline like that in probably at least over 10 or 12 years ago because you have not been able to breath for that long in a reclined position like that. The first that that struck me hard when I walked in to see your body with mom was how painfully obvious it was that you were no longer there inside your body. I don’t know how to explain it dad. Even in a funeral home a body is so clearly empty of a spirit or a soul. I’m sure you and anyone else that has ever seen an empty body knows exactly what I’m talking about. The words from the nurse that you had no pulse told us what had just happened but it’s when I saw your empty body that it hit me hard that you were really gone after all. I’ve never known life without you in your body, Dad. Anytime I ever saw you, sleeping or awake, I could see your soul and your spirit. To see your body without your soul or spirit for the first time ever in my 40 years of life, that was something I do not know how to put into words dad. There is a very heavy finality to it all. After being in there for maybe one minute with mom I remembered Jason was in the bathroom and I needed to go brace him for this because he was in a happy mood to be able to visit with you dad. I told mom I needed to find jason before he walked in on us so I could brace him and give him the news. Maybe 5 steps outside of your room dad I heard jason crying but couldnt see him yet so I just kept walking in the direction of his voice til I could see him then kept going to him. He had two really nice nurses at his side holding him up and comforting him. He was in denial at first but crying really hard. I went up to him without saying anything and just held him. He needed to sit down for a minute so I just sat there with him and held him and hugged him with the two nurses still there. I don’t even remember if I said anything to him at that point except that we could see your body dad, and that mom was already in there. We didnt sit long. Jason was ready to see your body. We walked in together to be with mom and to see your body dad. It was so painful to see that you were not there any more. How does someone get over that? We are on that journey of discovery right now. You’d be proud of Jason and I dad. You told me it would be nice if my brother and I got along more. Well, I was there for him just as I described. I told him I loved him. And ever since, we’ve gotten along great. We always had our moments and I’m sure we will have more moments in the future but dad you know I always loved Jason even when I frustrated the living day lights out of me. I could have been a better brother at certain times. I’m certainly going to be a better brother. I promise. Dad I always needed to do ANYTHING for you and mom. Not just for you and for mom but also for myself I emotionally needed to do anything you and mom ever wanted me to do. Jason, mom, and me have to move on without you being here the way that you’ve been here before your passing day oct 13th 2017. Now you’re here in a different way that I do not understand, that I’m unfamiliar with, that I may never understand til after I pass on too. Dad we only spent a few minutes with your body in your hospital room. You passed away in room 154 at aurora medical center here in Kenosha Wisconsin. Your last moment of life was in that room as you relaxed into passing away. I couldnt spend a long amount of time seeing your body like that. I placed my had on your arm. Your body was still warm. Mom noticed the same. I told you that I love you. I said thank you thank you thank you for adopting me I’m so glad you adopted me dad. I told you those things as I walked out of your room. If I remember correctly I think I also said I can’t wait to see you again soon. Dad you’d be so proud of us. The three of us accomplished so much that day. You passed away somewhere between maybe 1:30 and 2:20 I’m guessing. I peaked in on you at about 1:53 when I thought you were sleeping very sound. Looking back on it I think you were most likely gone or in the process of passing and I didn’t know it at the time. 19 out of 20 times I’ve ever peaked in on you sleeping no matter how quiet I was you would wake up and see me and wave. As I look back on that three or four seconds I looked in on you consoling myself you were sleeping sound for a nice change, you did not look up. You did not wave. You didnt move a muscle actually. The bipap machine was breathing for you. Dad I always thought that when you pass on it might be a very uncomfortable suffocation experience because of how your lungs are. You passed away while your lungs were getting forced air through the bipap and 10 liters of oxygen. I feel confident and VERY at peace with myself that you relaxed, got comfortable, and passed away as peaceful as can be. You deserved that after struggling to breath for well over a decade. Before we left the hospital I was going to ask your nurse if anyone saw you after I left you earlier that morning telling you i’d see you again shortly later that day. Before I had a chance to ask, your nurse volunteered that information to me. Your nurse told me she came to see how you were doing a couple hours before you passed, which would be a couple hours after I last saw you, and you were having a really hard time. She asked if you’d like another drop of morphine. You said yes. She gave you that morphine drop, put your bipap mask back on, and she said she saw you calm down and get comfortable again and that’s how she left you last. From there, well, I already told you what happened. Dad right after you passed away and we left your room we picked out a funeral parlor based on Debbies recommendation. We met with them later that evening. They are so nice. They are taking care of everything. It’s a turn key solution type of funeral parlor. They doing everything literally the only thing we have to do is answer some questions, bring your uniform you wanted to be laid out in, and today we are bringing some foam boards with lots of pictures. I think the coolest thing about how we handled ourselves, dad, is how we all kept ourselves together without fighting even when jason misplaced his phone, broke his car keys which lead us having to detour to a couple different places to take care of that in the midst of what was already going on etc… We helped and supported each other through it all and we still are. Jason, mom, and I are going to figure out the points system for jason running the poker league. That was you and jason dad. Jason did not put it on hold. Just one day after you passed away was the big tournament. He kept it going. He won! It took it all down. Oh wow that was such a wonderful boost for him, and for mom and I too because we want him to do well and jason so badly wants to make you proud. Oh wow did he make you proud dad, we all are making you proud. He had poker again last night. Dad you told him not to take a month off and that it had to keep going or it would not survive. Jason is doing it dad. Look at him go!!!! I do wish jason could have been with us last night. Mom and I had uncle joe, lisa, aunt sandy, aunt claudia, diana, aunt barbara, jonathan, jake, and lou anne over last night. Oh that was so wonderful. Jonathan, jake, and of course uncle joe just had non stop jokes and funny stories all night. It created an amazing environment to be in especially at a time like this. Dad I wish you could have been there because you love laughing and you are the best at going back and forth with anyone in any battle of witts and fast thinking humor. But dad, maybe you were there last night with us but just couldnt participate in the way that we are familiar with.

Dad I have to start thinking about getting ready for whats to come today. It’s a big day. I don’t know how I am going to be when I first see your body laid out. For all I know I could pass out, I could cry uncontrollably all day, I could cry just once at first and then be fine the rest of the day with random crying, I really don’t know..

The last thing I said to you was, “…so Ill see you again shortly ok?” to which you nodded and gave me a quick wave with your hand. I was thinking I’d see you again still living in your body later that day to talk about how we’d get you home. Well I’m saying it again dad. I’ll see you again shortly because in the context of time an average life span is pretty short. I will see you again shortly dad but instead of seeing you again shortly living in your body I will see you again shortly living in eternity in Heaven.

-Tom

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Maureen Lee McLellan and 176 others

Tam Gonzalez

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LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 9:30am

Kelly Driscoll

LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 9:31am

Chatell Wallace

My mom passed in her sleep. Layed down for a nap, never woke. My little brother found her. I raced the 45 min drive to get there before the paramedics so I could see her before they took her out of bed, out of her home, forever. She was 53.
Never easy to see your parent like that.
Hugs to you !!!! ♡♡♡
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 9:37am

Tracy May

I Found My Mom In Her Bed Too We Had Not Spoken to Each Other 4 a Week WHY? Something Trivially Stupid Most Likely Saddening to Say the Least. She Was My Everything & I Failed Her Miserably By Not Being There By Her Side @ Her Moment of Passing. She Did Not Want to Be Alone. Such Guilt I Carry Still 15 Years Later So My Advice Is Never Stay Mad or Upset With Someone Especially Someone So Dear! My Father Was Not There 4 Me Growing Up But We Connected Somewhat Later In Life Just in Time to Be By His Side on His Death Bed. I Got to Whisper In His Ear I Forgive U & He Drew His Last Breath.
1LikeReactDeleteReportOct 18 at 10:23am

Helen Worthley

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LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 9:41am

Helen Worthley

Hugs my friend, hope you are doing better?
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 9:42am

Victoria Delarosa Evangelista

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LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 9:42am

Anna Horton

One of the most broken I have ever been was when My dear father left me for heaven. I can feel you. It leaves a hole in your heart that will fill up w a love for heaven cause that is where your father is.
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 9:46am

Dee Poulson

Sending hugs & strength to you in this moment….can’t do anything else right now…just crying so hard…crying WITH you…your dad was an amazing man…GOD BLESS ALL of you right now and give you strength…love to you, dear……..
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 9:47am

Meara Sullivan

Im sorry you lost your dad Tom
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 9:49am

Kelly Taylor Rogers

Beyond beautiful….and yes, he hears and sees every bit of your love and support of each other. Love and Light to you and your precious family, my friend…I honor your path and send you Love. ?
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 9:51am

Glenda Jean Sherrod Deaton

Prayers for you and your family Tom.????
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 9:54am

Paulette Runkel

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LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 9:58am

Clarissa Winchester

Wow. I’m in tears with this beautiful memory of your dad’s last hours. Praying for your strength today…. ????????
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 10:02am

Jodi Paige

Stunning Tribute
Honorable ? Son
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 10:03am

Nancy Rosenblum McTighe

LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 10:05am

Kelly B. Darr

LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 10:20am

Cynthia Morring

I am speechless great Tribute to your dad . Big huggs and prayers going to you and your family .
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 10:23am

Lisa Carbonara

Dearest Tom,
What a beautiful heartfelt heartwrenching tribute. It took me a few times to get through it through many tears. I felt like I was right there with you and your family and like I knew your dad personally.So much support and love sent to you. You are brave & strong and will continue to be.Much gratiude to your dad for serving our country.Lots of love to your family & prayers for strength and peace.

1LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 10:40am

Karen Wood

Hugs. You have wonderful memories to cherish. Your dad can hear you and knows everything you’ve written. The soul lives on outside of the human shell.
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 10:42am

Dreamlin Braun

We are energy we return to the massless, THE massless rises
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 11:00am

Deborah Walsh

LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 11:02am

Donna Capodicasa

thank you for your post Tom, I will keep you and your family in prayer for healing. It’s so hard to lose our parents. I still miss mine very much. You express your thoughts and feelings wonderfully, again thank you for sharing your love for your dad with us. I feel honored.
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 11:07am

Kathy Sullivan

Tom, I feel with and for you on all fronts. I’ve been through this several times now with parents and in-laws, watching them leave the earthly sphere. You sharing your journey in and through words is part of the healing for you. I hope when you are with your Dad and all others today you do 2 things. 1) absolutely embrace the warm hugs from all others in attendance and 2) Listen to the stories about your Dad from others. It is likely you’ll learn more about the reasons you love him so much will come from the eyes and mouths of others who shared parts of his life in which you did not. Big gentle hugs to you, Tom.
1LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 11:24am

Alex R Artworthy

This has really touched my heart. What a great tribute to the special bond between son and father. Thank you for sharing these heart felt words. It really is crossing over into a new chapter. I hope you will be doing the eulogy for your father. My brother did ours for our father and he was remarkable. Sending love to you, your brother Jason and your mother. May God rest his soul.
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 11:34am

Jr Sharp

Bro that is beautiful bud and dad is there watching the people he loves and feeling the love I prey god is holding you and your family and friends god bless
EditedLikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 11:47am

Crystal Marie Bliesner

Your post had me crying Tom Birkenmeyer!! I am so sad and praying for your daily!
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 11:48am

Tracy Wardlaw

We are all praying for you Tom.
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 11:53am

Denise Clifton

My daddy was in the Navy, your in my thoughts
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 12:07pm

Jennifer McDougal

Continued prayers to you and your family. Again, I’m so very sorry for your loss. Thank you to you and your family for your father’s years of military service
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 12:09pm

Julie Herrmann-Simmons

Praying for you! I send you a private message
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 12:32pm

Vicki Bush Bredemeier

I feel as if I have been on this journey with you. I have felt your pain and shared your tears. I feel certain I’m not the only one who feels this deeply with you as we read your beautiful transparent words. I hope and pray in return you feel the love, peace, and comfort, that we are praying for, in overwhelming abundance, for you and your family! Xox
Edited1LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 12:48pm

Lynda Marie Hudson

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LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 12:53pm

Dawn Marie Ryskoski

Praying for you Tom, your mom, and brother, and those close to your dad to find peace, love and comfort with each other during this difficult time.
1LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 12:53pm

Amethyst Smith

LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 12:58pm

Margaret Malanik

Prayers my dear friend for you and all of your family ……lots of love and huggggsss
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 1:03pm

Joan Joyce

I’m so sorry Tom. I know how you feel. I was really close to my Dad too and it was really hard to let him go……..Very sad……..
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 1:24pm

Venus Lane

So sorry ? honey
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 1:49pm

Billie Johnson-Tiffner

I’m am so sorry Tom. I went through this recently. If you need to talk, I’m here ??
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 1:58pm

Kae Lin Eliason

Tom…I’m so very sorry you lost your Dad, but he knew how much you loved him!! Your post made me break down and cry, cause it brought back so many memories of when I lost my Mom and my Daddy. Losing your parents…its the worst thing I’ve ever gone through, it really sucks! We just have to be glad we have good memories of them and feel blessed they were ours! I’m always here for you, if you wanna talk! Huge hugs. Tommy!!!
EditedLikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 2:19pm

Michelle BowenPsychic

Loving blessings my friend. Ive had to say good bye to my Dad and also my Step Dad whom had a military sendoff. I carried them both. Xx
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 2:59pm

Andrea Bernstone

My heart goes out to you, such a beautiful tribute to your father. May his transition be peaceful and may the angels wrap their arms around him gently guiding him to heaven. Many blessings to you and your family ?
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 3:38pm

Llora Louise Lacey

He is so proud of you. Tom Birkenmeyer
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 4:02pm

Kat James

Wow Tom. That was a great tribute letter right from the heart. Im sure your dad hears you and is VERY proud of you all. Prayers and condolences to you and your family. Smooches
EditedLikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 4:05pm

Cynthia Wallace

Hugs, sending you strength, love and light..
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 4:09pm

Julie Matuszak Goralski

Hugs! What you are going through is so difficult and I’m praying for you and your family. You are left with wonderful memories and a loving family, also supportive friends. Thank you for sharing with us, I’m sure that was not easy. I do believe he is very proud of you and your family. Love and light.
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 4:11pm

Delphi Skysong

Sweetie, I know there’s nothing anyone can say that will make you feel better right now. I just wish I was closer, so I could hug you…
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 4:31pm

Karen Shunk

Sweet Tom, I have seen Heaven first hand, & it is Bright, Beautiful, & so filled with the most unconditional love that mere words cannot describe it! Not only that, the veil between Heaven & Earth is soooo thin, that our loved ones are right here beside us, all of us, at once! Watching over us, & emminating so much love to us! Your Dad is wonderful, & at total peace!
I am so wishing you, your Mom, & Jason to be filled up with all of that love & peace, to get you through your unbearable grief.
Huge hugs my friend.????
Edited1LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 5:24pm

Pamela Gibson

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LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 4:49pm

Joy Galindo

Prayers!
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 5:57pm

Shelly Lynn Johnston

Big Huge Sqweezy Hugs, my friend!!!
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 6:43pm

Joan Woodhouse

So beautiful. I pray the viewing & service give you & your family peace. You Dad leaves a great legacy & he was deeply loved. May you, your Mom, Jason, family & friends find comfort. Amen, brother. You’re a good son. Your Dad is so proud of you. ??
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 6:44pm

Jackie Russo

Xoxo Sending prayers to you Tom n’your family
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 7:00pm

Anne Marie Lotter-inchiostro

God Bless
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 7:47pm

Janesse Augot-Short

My heart breaks for you Tom Birkenmeyer. I lost my dad in 2004 and it was aweful. I really wish I could be there to hug you. I’m here if you need anything at all. Sending much love to you and your family ❤️❤️??
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 8:18pm

Britany Holmgren

Love to you tom ❤️
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 8:21pm

Linzy Fox

LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 8:26pm

Valorie Girard

My heart aches for you Tom. As I read your account I was reminded of what I felt like when my Dad left this earth to be in Jesus’s arms. It’s been MANY years since then but I still have a picture of him over my kitchen sink to remind me of his wonderful influence in my life and to remind me that he is in no more pain and that I will see him soon . I will be praying for you to find peace in this very difficult time. That you will be able to see your Dad in your mind’s eye walking hand in hand with His Savior in the most beautiful place you could ever imagine on the other side of a very thin veil we call death . You will be ok. He raised you to be strong . Your family will be held together by the strength his legacy left. I pray the Lord’s arms will wrap around you tonight and bring you comfort ❤️?
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 9:23pm

Mel Wheeler Bairos

I hope you are doing ok Tom. Keeping you and your family in my prayers. So sorry for your pain. I hope with time it gets easier. (((Hugs)))
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 18 at 11:02pm

Dyane Caputo Arenas

LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 19 at 12:16am

Denise Vinci

So sorry. .may he RIP
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 19 at 12:39am

Lola Schiefelbein

…a more beautiful dedication, I have rarely read! Tom, so lovingly spoken…your father is smiling at you, now…
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 19 at 1:46am

Arlene Paraiso

He is proud of you.
Time is short.
I feel your story. I would speak to my dad all the time and 3 years later, i still do… Just not quite as often. The depth of loss is vast. But that is how God helps us to know love and Him. God rest your dads soul and Peace to you your mom and Jason.
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 19 at 2:23am

AnnMarie Calandra Brescia

So So Sorry Tom ! I Watched My Dad & My Husbands Dad Pass Away Right In Front Of My Eyes. It Is Very Weird To See The Light Leave A Loved One In A Second, One Minute They R There & The Next Minute They R Gone & How U Know U R Just Looking At The Body That Their Spirit Lived In. Itz Not The End For Them But A Transition. 7 & A Half Yearz Later I Still Miss My Dad’s Physical Body That Hugged Me & I Miss Him More & More As Time Passes, It Does Not Get Easier.But I Do Feel Him Around Me & Hear Him Talk To Me , I Have Even Smelt Him Around Me & I’m Sure U Will Feel Ur Dad Around U. U Just Have To Be Grateful For The Time U Had With Him & Be Happy He Is Not just Laying IN A Bed Suffering. May He Fly Free Healthy, Happy & Well. Sending U & Ur Family Strength & Reiki Healing Energy. May Angels Wrap Their Loving Wings Around U To Help Comfort U . When I Lost My Dad Ho’Oponopono Helped Me, It Is A Hawian Healing Technec. There’s A Book On It Called Zero Limits… Healing Hugz…
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 19 at 2:28am

Cathy Palmer

Sending prayers to you and your family, Tom. What a lovely tribute you posted. I’m sure your dad will always be with you in spirit.
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LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 19 at 3:06am

Cheryl Kellner

So sorry for your loss Tom. My thoughts are with you and your family at this difficult time. ?
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 19 at 7:40am

Elizabeth EeBee Pincolini

Love to you and your family Tom. Writing is so cathartic. I wrote my dad a letter much like this after he passed. Much love and peace to you all at this time
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 19 at 9:18am

Sandi Lyn

thinking of you
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LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 19 at 2:41pm

Lorraine Cohen

So sorry to learn of your papa’s passing dear Tom R.I.P may your papa ‘s soul have an easy rise and may you and family know of no more sorrow G d Bless
LikeReactReplyDeleteReportOct 20 at 6:24am

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