The Train Pin

From the time I was an infant until I was 18 years old, I went to church every Sunday with my mother. And I mean EVERY Sunday. I can probably count on both hands the number of Sundays I wasn't sitting in one of those red pews at Kingsway Christian Church over the course of those 18 years. And at every service I attended there, I saw Herman and Judy Bauman there too.

Judy ran the nursery at Kingsway and I was the first baby she took care of there. I would go as far to say I was not only her first but her favorite child she ever cared for but Judy had a loving way about her that probably made countless children over the years feel the same way. Herman was an elder at Kingsway and was famous for joyfully doing anything that needed done at the church and for praying unwaveringly for any and every prayer request he knew about.  One of my earliest memories in life is seeing Herman with his big smile at church every Sunday.

Herman was also an old school kind of guy. He considered the King James Version to be the "authorized" version of Holy Scripture and he always wore a suit and tie to church. Most, if not all weeks he accessorized his suit with a small golden pin. I'm sure there were many pins he wore over the years but I only remember one.  The train pin.

I was like many other young boys in that I was obsessed with trains. Seeing Herman's train pin every time I went to church made my day. Considering Herman was a lifelong railroad man, I have a feeling that seeing a child so enthusiastic about trains may have made his day as well.  One Sunday, while admiring Herman's train pin, he presented me with a train pin of my own.  I remember it as one of the happier days of my young life.  I believe the fact that I remember it at all testifies to that.

Two weeks ago, Herman passed away. More accurately I should say Herman was promoted.  Whenever a Christian brother or sister died, Herman would always say they had earned their promotion to Heaven. If anyone had ever earned their promotion, it was Herman. He may have been the kindest and most caring individual I have ever known.  More importantly, he was certainly one of the most faithful believers I have ever met.  His loving spirit was probably only matched by his wife Judy.

For whatever reason, since Herman's promotion, I haven't been able to stop thinking about that little train pin.  I don't know why this small trinket has suddenly been thrust into the forefront of my consciousness.  I've racked my brain trying to figure out some greater meaning of it, or some metaphorical significance.  At the end of the day, I think it may just be the fondest early memory I have of an extremely important man in my life.

I have been lucky enough to continue to see Herman and Judy on a regular basis throughout my entire life.  I never met either of my natural grandfathers and my adopted one passed before I was a teenager.  Herman filled that role in my life, even if I never told him as much.  I love and miss you Herman, but I will see you again soon.