(Megan's Dad) Gordon's thoughts about Megan's life

Megan was a "bridging" person.  She was comfortable with many types of people, and they were comfortable with her.  She could be with computer nerds, musicians, literature academics, or Christians of all traditions, and be equally at home with all. Through her gentle nature, her smile, her choice of words, her laughter, her tone of voice, her optimistic view, her connectedness with God, that this bridging magic happened.  It was God's light shining through her.

Megan loved the people of central Mexico, their culture, and their diversity.  She developed her interest in the Spanish language after missions trips with her church there.  She loved the people, their dedication to family, their slowed-down, patient lifestyle. One reason she wanted to attend UNC was the diversity there.

Megan could persevere.  On a bike ride when she was about 8 years old from Frisco to Breckenridge, which is mostly uphill, a headwind started.  She kept pedaling, took a few rest stops, but didn't give up, and slowly made it to Breckenridge.  She took on other life challenges the same way, steady, patient, organized, and consistent.  Her proficiency in the bassoon and piano took many hours of practice, practice, practice to develop.  Her piano playing was expressive, emotive, a pleasure to listen to.  It was therapy for her.

From the time she was very little she'd come to have lunch at HP.  Many long-term HP'ites still remember her as an infant, growing to be a toddler, and the joy she gave to people in the middle of the work day.

Megan was quietly self-confident.  She certainly had it "upstairs", and that was clear in how she expressed her views, but she didn't come across as superior.  She loved discussing books with her peers and teachers, learning from each other, not needing to convince the others.

Megan was adventurous.  At 6 months, she had casts on her tiny arms from sending her walker down the stairs.  She was walking by 8 months.  She loved being tossed into the air, and playing "again".  When she was about 10, she was "log rolling" on the cat play tower one evening (while her parents were out), but stepped into the hole of the cat tower.  10 weeks in a cast was the result.  Watch out if you challenged her to a game on the trampoline.  She'll bounce you higher than you've been before. Or on a jet-ski!

She played gymnastics, swimming, and soccer.  In soccer, she was a "smart" team player.  She wasn't the fastest on the field, nor did she have the strongest leg, but she competed by knowing how to be in the right place at the right time, to pass accurately, to set up another player into a better position.  One year she swam the ¼ mile section in a team triathlon with her dad.

The tradition in her family was at events like birthdays or graduations, each member of the family stood around, laid hands on, and prayed a blessing as an encouragement, an appreciation of their spirit, of who they are, and their progression in this life.  This eulogy today is a type of blessing, but with it we don't bless Megan as we have in the past.  She is in our Abba Father's care now.  Today, we express gratitude for the blessing she has been to us.