Clicky

Virgil Dominic Communications

Virgil Dominic Communications Virgil Dominic Communications The company is based on Virgil's experience during more than 40 years as a broadcast journalist and executive.

He has served as a television news anchor; national radio news broadcaster; television news director; corporate news director; and President/General Manager of WJW-TV, Cleveland, Ohio. The Company provides consulting, training and leadership advice to employees and management of a wide ranging group of Companies. Virgil also hosts a television interview show on cable and is a host of a weekly radio financial program. He has been selected as a member of 5 Broadcasts Halls of Fame.

Operating as usual

04/08/2022

THE MAN

The man stands silently by the railroad tracks....A slight Oklahoma breeze ruffles his thinning gray hair. The man is dressed in overalls, one strap hangs loosely over his chest.

He lifts his eyes to the West. The sinking sun shines on the rails of the MKT Railroad Company turning them to silver. But, there is no sign yet of the train the man is waiting for......He begins a slow walk around a weathered wooden cart. It is a large cart with a 12 foot bed....It is the tool of the man's life. A final inspection. Satisfied that all is in working order...the man...leans against the cart. A little rest before the work that is coming.

Time passes......And then....the man hears a whistle. The sound is low at first....but slowly it gets louder. All at once...the man sees it. The freight train rounding a bend...its engine is blowing blue and black smoke from its chimney. The train draws closer with an explosion of noise. Finally, it slows to a stop with a wet and white and hot steam streaming from its sides.

The man swings into action!....He grabs the handle of the cart and drags it to the cars behind the engine.....Their doors slide open. The workers inside see the man and call out...."Hello, John. How are you today?" The man jumps aboard the cart and begins unloading boxes and packages onto the scarred bed of the old cart. Some of the boxes are small. Some are big. Their destinations scratched onto their dirty cardboard, some of it torn in travel. Later, the man will lift them aboard a truck...and deliver them to places all over the little Oklahoma town where he lives.

At last, all the unloading is done. The cart is full. The packages and boxes piled high. The men aboard the train call out their goodbyes to the man as they slowly slide the doors shut.

Suddenly, the silence of the night is shattered by the renewed sound of the Engine's whistle. The train slowly begins to move. Its wheels slide past the man. One by one the cars slip by...and...in a minute the train is gone...The man is alone again.

He moves to the front of the cart and picks up its handle. He beings to pull. His muscles tighten....His shoulders begin to ache...The cart starts to move ponderously....as the man...pulls and pulls....The wheels of the cart roll forward as....the man...pulls and pants...and puffs....and...sweats!

I watch from behind as the man points the cart toward the warehouse....

The creaking sound of the wheels fade into the distance....

Darkness descends....

i continue to watch the cart and...the man...slowly vanish into the night...

Another day is done for the Man.

My Dad.

End.

02/07/2022

A WINTER'S NIGHT
The wind moves about on this cold, winter's night...sweeping and searching for a glimmer of light. Perhaps, a beacon of something so sought in Winter's gloom..a warmness, a hope, a small sign of Spring.

Over the lake, the wind springs free...but looking down it sees..only icy mystery. Up then goes the Breeze...soaring to the tops of the trees. Around and around it swirls looking for light...but finding only branches that are brittle and bare and absent of light.

Onto the Mountains then...Oh, they are so high..the wind looks all around and sees no light, only...white.

There is still one more hope, the valleys deep. The wind remembers them covered by flowers in colors bright..but arriving there..the wind sees no light...hears only silence...and feels the cold, piercing deep.

Ah the wind is weary now. It's spirit fades and falls as the sure knowledge sinks in...the light of the lovely, lovely Spring is still far, far away.

The wind is defeated now and can think of nothing else to do...so it quiets...and falls asleep.

Soon it is sleeping deeply, its slumber surrounded...by...this dark, cold...winter's night.

09/23/2021

MISSING BEAUTY

IT IS INDEED AN INCREDIBLE WORLD IN WHICH WE LIVE...The advance of technology is breathtaking. More and more we spend our lives in front of a computer screen. An international study reports today's adults are spending 53 per cent of their time on line. The Kaiser Foundation says that our kids spend 7 hours a day using electronic media. 75 per cent of our children, ages 12 to 17, have their own cell phones. Half of them send 50 or more texts a day.

How about reading? Polls show that Americans are spending only 20 minutes a day reading printed material. We're on the internet or social media instead. Author William Green says even on vacations millions of people itch to check e mail and surf the web. We yearn, it seems, to be electronically connected.

But, in striving to be connected are we, in fact, disconnecting? Disconnecting from the freshness of the morning sunrise, from the gentle touch of the raindrops, from the song of the birds, from the sound of thunder and the flash of the lightning bolt.

Do we no longer hear the laughter of children, do we no longer see the power of the wind rippling the grass of the meadow, do we no longer feel the touch of those we love?

Are we being disconnected from ourselves?

The reality of the computer, the internet, the smart phons are a marvel of our times. But in the midst of all this it might be wise of us to realize that the real magic , the real phenomenon of Our Times, and all times, is the miracle of our recognition and respect and appreciation of....each other!

As for me, I appreciate the wind and the rain and the stars and the moon....and....You, dear reader!

Thank you.

02/15/2021

PRESIDENT'S DAY 2021

The winds of politics turned into a tornado in recent weeks. Charges of a rigged election by a President who lost. Uproar in a country divided. An attack on the U.S. Capitol that turned into a riot with loss of life. A second impeachment of a President. A trial, An acquittal. And, a future uncertain.

Will we continue to wallow in distrust or is there another path? In another time of division a great President, Abraham Lincoln, found a path, a path that led to healing and unity.

Lincoln suffered painfully while trying to save the Union in the great Civil War. He did not celebrate the death of southern soldiers at the hands of Union forces. He grieved at every loss, each fallen soldier pained him no matter the color of his uniform. Lincoln showed an enormous respect for the Confederacy realizing its leaders were celebrating their homeland because they thought it was the right thing to do. Yes, he sought victory but only because each victory hastened the end of the war.

When it was over, Lincoln received all kinds of advice from Northern lawmakers who wanted to punish the South. But, the great President rejected their counsel. Instead, he adopted a policy of compassion. His critics shouted that the winner should destroy his enemy, not befriend him. But, Lincoln replied "Am I not destroying my enemies by making them my friends?"

In another controversial step the President appointed former political opponents to offices in his administration. Critics thought that foolhardy. But, Lincoln knew that by selecting men who disagreed with him his ideas would be tested and those challenges would help him make wiser decisions. And, there was something else. He realized that by drawing an enemy into his fold he would have a better chance of turning that foe into an ally because the President showed him respect and honor.

As our current leaders move forward might it not be a good idea fore them to look back to the past and make the Lincoln model their own?

Honor and Respect for one another, compassion and understanding for the views of others, loyalty to the people of our beloved country.

What a celebration of Unity that could cause as we move forward with...

"Malice toward none...with Charity for all."

09/24/2020

AUTUMN MUSINGS

What is this feeling we feel when Autumn winds begin to blow, sending leaves of summer past swirling to and fro?

Tossing...twisting..tumbling in the air as they break away from trees they once called home. Some ready...some reluctant to part with warm August, now left behind.

What remains are sweet memories of sunlit days and billowing white clouds and birdsong that ushered in the summer's dawn.

Gone are they now...swept away by the winds of Autumn, different from summer...stronger...cooler and filled with the scent of impending change.

This feeling is centuries old...and yet...every year it is the same.

The breeze holds promise too, a promise held deeply inside the once green fresh leaves...now stained in reds and yellows and gold.

In the depth of these colors...our hopes are fulfilled. For in such beauty lies profound understanding that the leaves fall...but Love remains...to protect us from the coming cold.

It is a thought worth remembering as we watch those falling leaves...

Like ships of bright colors...the leaves sail on the wind...

Falling...Falling and, at last, settling...like a quilt covering the Earth....and...our hearts....with the Promise of...

Spring!

06/04/2020

THE CRISIS AND THE FROGS

Once again in Our Times we find ourselves in a swamp of stress.
A mysterious virus has fanned our fear and kept us from each other. A fear that has deprived us of the most common expression of care and love, the human touch.
And, while we are still trying to learn how to live with this crisis...there comes another. Thousands of citizens on the streets of our cities, protesting a lack of opportunity, a lack of equality, a lack of respect only because of the color of their skin.
Accompanying this, an avalanche of words and of opinions.
Some helpful. Some hurtful. Some smart. Some stupid. It seems everyone has something to say.

I don't know why but it brought to my mind an old story that I heard so long ago I don't remember who told it. I DO remember it was a story about...Frogs.

"A group of frogs was traveling through the woods when two of them fell into a deep pit. When the other frogs saw how deep the pit was they concluded there was no hope for their fallen friends. They yelled down "There is no hope, just give up." But, the two frogs did just the opposite. Time and time again they jumped and jumped and jumped trying to achieve the top of the pit. Each time they failed. The frogs on top continued to shout their litany..."You'll never make it. Just accept your fate and die."

At last one of the frogs did give up. He fell to the bottom of the pit.
But, the other frog kept trying...he jumped...and jumped. His frineds on top kept urging him to stop. The little frog kept trying...harder and harder he tried...and he finally reached the top and was free.
The other frogs said..."Didn't you hear us..?" The frog replied that he was deaf...and he thought...the other frogs were encouraging him all the time..

The moral of the story is this....Be careful what comes out of our mouths. For the words we speak are important. In fact, sometime they can make the difference between ... life...and..death.

It may be something for us to think about....during this troublesome chapter in OUR TIMES.

Virgil Dominic

04/21/2020

COPING WITH THE

COPING IN A TIME OF CRISIS

I recently came across the stories of two people who are coping with the Coronavirus in ways that are so different it is hard to put into perspective.

One is Mellisa L. St. Hilaire. She is a home care aide in Miami, Florida. For the past year she has been taking care of a 95 year old woman. Several times a week she went to the family's home, watched TV with the lady, talked to her, gave her medication, shared stories, prepared her food, and made her comfortable.
But, recently, when she arrived at the house the woman's daughter pulled her inside the door to talk.. She told Melissa she didn't want to take the chance that from outside might come in and spread the virus. Melissa was fired on the spot. It devastated her for she thought she was part of the family.

She could no longer pay her rent. She ran out of food until a friend told her about a food bank where she got a few bags of rice, some spaghetti, a few cans of tuna, and milk. It was enough to feed herself and her 6 year old son...for a week.
Melissa is a woman of Faith, but her days and nights are full of worry. Never ending worry.
It is a far different situation for a fellow named David Geffen. He is a New York Billionaire. He disclosed in an Instagram message how he intends to cope. He is going to ride out the crisis on his 454 foot yacht, which is now out at sea. Before departing port, David left a message for everyone else..."I hope everyone stays safe."
May it be so....for Melissa...and for us.
M

M

03/24/2020

WHAT WE SHOULD DO OFTEN

There are many lovely moments from the movie about Mr.Rogers.."It's a Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood."

But, none more lovely than the breakfast scene in a cafe when Mr. Rogers offers the following advice to the reporter who is writing a story about him...

"Just for one minute...close your eyes...and think about all those people who loved you into the person you are today."

For me, there were many of them.

How about you?

03/23/2020

WE HAVE SOMETHING WITHIN

At this time of isolation and loneliness forced on us by the Corona virus, I found something hopeful about ourselves that we may not even be aware of.

It is a story from an old issue of SCIENCE OF THE MIND magazine. Here it is:

"I lived in Mississippi in 1993 when there was record flooding along the Mississippi River. Scientists discovered that the plants that normally grow on the bottom of the River and reach to just above the water line were significantly taller that year.

Due to the flood waters being over six feet above the Mississippi's normal water line, the plants had to grow at least SIX FEET HIGHER to reach the top of the water to receive the sunlight they needed.

There was something within them that urged them to grow , and to grow far taller that they had ever previously grown.

Sometimes we too can feel overwhelmed and feel that the waters of life are closing above our heads. It is in this moment that we have the opportunity to practice our spiritual principles. This is when we get to walk the talk. There is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path. Instead of spouting off spiritual platitudes we courageously walk the spiritual path and learn from it.

There is something within us that is calling us to grow! The challenges of life are opening us to greater possibilities. Just as those plants in the Mississippi needed to grow taller to reach the sunlight, we can also grow...through whatever comes.

Amen, to that.

03/10/2020

TELEVISION PAST

After spending 50 years in television news and station management, I am often asked about the greatest changes I have seen in the business. Given all of the technical advances people are often surprised when I tell them what I think has been the biggest and most positive change to which I have been a witness.

It is simply this: The entry of women into television newsrooms. When I came to Cleveland in 1965 to be the main news anchor at WKYC-TV3, there was only one woman in our newsroom. Her name was Rebecca Bell. She was our city hall reporter and she was a fantastic journalist. I don't know why it took so long, but when the women came...they came in waves. Besides their journalism skills they changed the whole culture of newsrooms with their intelligence, their talent, their work ethics, their compassion, their insights, their humor and their innate fairness and goodness. In my opinion, it is an absolute truth that television newsrooms across the country could not even exist without these outstanding women journalists. I was blessed to work with so many of them and I shall always honor them and thank them for their many contributions to helping us better understand the world in which we live.

01/28/2020

IN WHOM DO WE TRUST

We have much to be grateful for in our great country...but there is something afoot that I find troubling. According to a recent Gallup poll a majority of Americans have lost faith in our institutions.

Only 11% of Americans say they have great trust in Congress....Only 38% trust the President...the same for the Supreme Court, only 38% have confidence in its rulings.

How about the Church? Only 36% express trust. The list goes on...Big Business. The poll says only 23 percent have great trust. Banks? 30% Organized Labor? 29%. Only 29% have trust in our Public Schools. The Criminal Justice System, 24%

As a Journalist most of my life, I am hurt when I see the Poll report only 23% trust newspapers and only 18% of Americans have a great deal of confidence in Television News.

My goodness! What a blow!!!

So, is there anything we can do? I think the first thing that needs to happen is to make certain that our leaders know the low esteem they are being held in by a majority of citizens. Then, we need to demand that they do better. Perhaps, one approach is to let them know by Social Media. If enough people take to the internet, Twitter, Instagram, e mails and all the other tools now available...maybe...maybe they will get the message.

This is especially important in 2020, a big election year. Before we cast our votes the candidates need to convince us that we can trust them to do the best thing for the people and the country.

i don't think for the good of the land we love anything is more important.

God Bless America!

09/25/2019

THE DAYS OF TELEVISION PAST

We take it for granted, don't we? All those pictures on all those channels on our television sets, our smart phones and our I Pads. Entertainment, news, information..all waiting to appear at just the touch of our fingers.

It is a technological miracle and it is wonderful!

But, in the bygone days of television it wasn't so easy to get information from one point to another.

As I look back on my long career in television, I can still see a lonely reporter standing by the entrance to the Turnpike that connects Oklahoma City and Tulsa.

That reporter is me. And, I have something to do. I hold in my hand a carefully wrapped package inside a manila folder. Emboldened on the package in large black and white print are the letters "WKY-TV". That's the station in Oklahoma City that I work for.

Inside the package is film and narration of a story that our sister station in Tulsa wants for its newscasts.

The question is how to get it there? Satellites, cable, I-Pods, the internet...none had been invented yet.

Yet, there was a way. The Turnpike. With my heavily labeled WKY-TV news car parked nearby, I walked with the package to the Turnpike gate where I introduced myself to the clerk who issued tickets for cars about to be ushered through the Turnpike gate.

As each car stopped to get its ticket, using all the charm I could muster, I leaned into the motorist driving the car, explained that I was a reporter and that I was trying to get a news story to a television station in Tulsa. I asked if the driver would mind accepting my package and dropping it off with the clerk at the Turnpike gate in Tulsa where it would be picked up by an employee of the station there.

I was almost never turned down. The motorists of those days apparently felt that by transporting a television news story from one city to another they were doing something very important.

After the car drove off, I carefully noted the kind of car it was, its color and license plate. I telephoned this information to my contact at the Tulsa Station as well as the time the car departed.

I was always careful to thank the clerk at the Turnpike because his cooperation made the whole operation possible.

It was with some satisfaction, as I drove my black, white and red news car back to my station, to realize that I had done something pretty impressive...sending a news story to a larger audience. After all, that is a reporter's job, isn't it?

Night was falling as I drove home that evening. I had many thoughts about the day now ending...and none of them were about undreamed of things like satellites and the internet.

No, the feeling was personally bigger than all those things in the faraway future. I simply felt how good it was to be a part of something bigger than myself.

After 50 years in the business, I still feel that way.

For Our Times and Past Times, I'm Virgil Dominic.

08/22/2019

PRESIDENT TRUMP IN ''OUR TIMES.''

The hot breath of presidential politics is blowing across our country in this summer of Our Times.

At the center of the heat is our controversial President Donald Trump. More than 20 Democrats are vying for their party's nomination in hopes of beating him in November, 2020.

Mr. Trump is indeed a striking figure. He generates either intense loyalty or intense anger. The anger is never more evident than in the state of California. The governor there, Gavin Newsom, has signed a law that would bar Mr. Trump from appearing on the primary ballot ...Unless he discloses his tax returns.

To put it clearly, California Democrats are trying to keep a sitting President from running for re election in their state.

It is an extraordinary tactic in Our Times.

Will it work? Perhaps not. There is nothing in the Constitution that says a presidential candidate must release his tax returns, so California may be violating the Constitution with this law.l

The President no doubt will challenge this law...but perhaps in the weeks ahead cooler heads will prevail.

Already, other political leaders warn that this may be a slippery slope. What's next? A requirement to submit a candidate's health records, or one's college grades, or contributions to charities?

We'll see. But, in the meantime, there are a swarm of issues swirling for our attention....immigration, climate change, trade wars, drug prices, tax changes, what to do about Iran and Afghanistan ... they go on and on...

And, one more thing to consider....these issues will not only affect those of us living in Our Times...but...all Americans in the times to come.

08/07/2019

ANOTHER KIND OF IMMIGRATION

We are well into the political season in Our Times, and there is much talk about legal and illegal immigration.

But, according to NPR, there is another type of immigration that most of us have never heard of. It is called "Investor Immigration." We often hear about China making great economic strides...but what we don't hear is how many Chinese millionaires hope to leave their country and moved to the United States. They are the primary seekrs of Investor Immigration.

It works like this. If Chinese investors put money into a U. S. project...like building a bridge...they get a green card that will give them permanent residency in the U. S. in 3 years. Why do they want to move here....to protect their wealth.

One businessman puts it this way: "There is only one political party in China. You can get rich working for the government, but if you don't cooperate you can lose everything." And, all is not rosy in China. There is vast inequality of income, lots of corruption, and you can't really own a home because the government owns the land the house is built on.

This makes Chinese millionaires nervous. Last year the Bank of China reports 3,000 well to do Chinese citizens applied for the U. S. green card. The bank further reports 60 oer cent of Chinese millionaires have either already emigrated to the United States or plan to do so. A man named Leo Li explains the exodus in the form of a joke. A boss asks an employee "are you satisfied with the pay, the work, and the politicians of China?" "Yes," replies the employee. "Then, why do you want to move to America?" asks the boss. "Because", replies Lee, "In the U. S. I can say i am NOT satisfied."

It is reassuring, isn't it, for all of us living in Our Times to learn that the same idea that attracted the first immigrants to our shores continues to lure the new immigrants. It is the simple and beautiful idea of.....Freedom!

I

04/10/2019

CHILDHOOD AFTERNOONS

I watched the children playing in the Sun...

Their bodies turned golden by the rays from above...Laughter tumbled from their lips like water rippling over rock...their shadows imitating their movement on the sandy clay...

Would that their laughter could stay forever on the landscape of our lives....Would that the shadows never fade from view...Would that their bodies could remain forever in the silver shine of youth...and...

That the Sun never set on afternoons of childhood play.

01/30/2019

TELEVISION MEMORIES

I was privileged to come to Cleveland in 1965 to become the main news anchor at WKYC-TV3. Recently, the station had me back on the air to recall some of the events of that time.

Television news was not long out of its infancy back then and I marvel at the progress that has been made.

Election night is a good example. I am in a state of wonder as I watch the results come in supported by numerous reporters and live shots and an amazing set of colorful, beautiful graphics that would make any artist proud.

In my day, as the main anchor for a November election I started studying shortly after Labor Day. By the time election night came I had a big 4 inch notebook filed with facts and background on every candidate and every issue. It was made necessary by the fact that we didn't have many live shots back then. Technology had not yet advanced to that point. So, most of the candidates came to the Station and sat beside me while I interviewed them. I never knew who was going to show up or when. Often, I found only a few minutes before they came onto the set. In that brief time, I went to my notebook and read up on the issues and where the candidate stood on each of them. Thanks to this preparation the interviews went off pretty well.

The posting of the votes was challenging. Instead of the dramatic graphics of today we had...a blackboard! That's right a blackboard not dissimilar from the ones used in the schools of that day. As the results changed a producer would climb a ladder and with an eraser he would wipe off the old number and write in a new one with a piece of chalk. A major breakthrough came when someone got the bright idea to write the candidate's name with white chalk and his vote total in colored chalk. Oh, my goodness, how we congratulated ourselves on such creativity.

Then, as now, Election nights were so exciting. So many people, running back and forth, so much information shouted from one person to another. The hustle and bustle was underscored by a feeling...a feeling that we were all so involved in something important, something meaningful, something that provided a great service to our viewers. It was the epitome of why we became Journalists...to serve our community accurately and fairly.

It was a wonderful time, a wonderful privilege to be a part of such a team of professionals. I am so humbly proud to have been a part of it.

01/14/2019

ASSURANCE

From the writings of Matthew Kelly:

We all have a star to follow in our lives. It will not rise early. It will not rise late.

It will rise in the fullness of time--at the most appropriate moment.

You need not worry that you will not be ready. It will not rise until you are. You need not fear that you will miss it or fail to recognize it. It is looking for you more than you are looking for it.

It will help you fulfill the purpose of your existence, and your whole life is leading you toward it.

07/16/2018

MARK MICHAEL DOMINIC

Mark was my son. He died on March 11, 2018. This is the Eulogy I gave at his funeral on April 3rd.

Good Morning, dear friends,
Thank you for being here today to honor Mark and to offer comfort for me and my family. It is so nice of you to come. Please know how grateful we are.

At times in our lives, it may seem that God just disappears. I certainly could not find him of that cold Spring morning just a few days ago when the telephone rang and I heard a voice I had not heard before.

It was a serious voice, a voice void of emotion, the voice of a professional, a voice that had made many such calls...but not to me.

It was the voice of the Coroner who told me that my son, Mark, was gone, found dead at this apartment in Indianapolis where he lived and worked.

He had died in his sleep. A heart attack that came like the proverbial thief in the night.

At first, I didn't believe it. How could it be only three days after we had
celebrated Mark's 49th birthday with cards and presents and words of love.

But, the more details that professional voice told me I realized it was true and with that realization came another realization--my life would never again be the same.

When I broke the news to my dear wife, Shawn, she cried out in shock and then we collapsed into each other's arms.

And then, something happened. In the midst of the tears there came a thought. It was like a voice, but unlike the Coroner's, this voice was soft and reassuring.

"The last year of Mark's life was the happiest year he ever had..."

And, I knew that God was back. I also knew that He had never been away. In the shock of the news it was I who had turned away. The solution was simply to turn back...and I did.

The last year was indeed Mark's happiest. He got a job he loved at Channel 6 in Indianapolis and he was treated well by the management and by the staff.

Everyone was warm and friendly. His superiors encouraged him and complimented him on the way he did his job. Those people at the station gave Mark a great gift...the gift of appreciation and belonging. A simple gift that cost the Company nothing, but made all the difference for an employee named...Mark.

Another sign that God was helping me through this loss came the next day. The Director of Human Relations at the Station called me. She offered her condolences and then told me something I shall never forget.

"Virgil", she said, "I can't believe how many of our employees have stopped by my office today to say how sorry they are about Mark's passing. They all want to donate to his favorite charity. You need to know that wherever Mark went in this building he had a smile on his face, he had a good word for everyone, he made people happy."

For a father who had just lost a son, you can imagine what comfort those words gave me. Don't ever tell me that God is not good.

My spiritual adviser has also helped me so much in dealing with this loss. Vince Lisi teaches classes on the divinely inspired book "A Course In Miracles."

"Focus on the Love", Vince counseled. "Focus on the Love you shared with your son and the love he shared with you. Keep focusing on the Love and the Holy Spirit will guide you."

I did that. But, on the third day, I had a doubt. The next time Vince called I told him what was bothering me. "Vince, Mark was finally happy. Why didn't God allow that to go on for a longer time?"

"We are all eternal beings," Vince replied. "We are all spiritual beings. Our souls existed in Eternity before we were born and our souls will continue to exist after we die. Sometimes, God allows a soul to return to Earth because that soul has some work to do to reach its full perfection. The soul is happy, but not completely so. There are some imperfections that have to be worked out in a physical life. Through his experiences, his love, his job, his pain, his suffering, his challenges...Mark lived his life until the perfections were gone. He reached the point where his soul was completely happy.

And then, it was time to go back to God. Back to Eternity, where he continues to exist but now in an exaulted state. Mark's soul is now wholly happy, completely happy and it will be happy for all Eternity."

It is a profound concept and it is one that has give me peace of mind. It seems I have lost my son's physical presence, but I have gained the knowledge that Mark's spirit is still alive, still with me, an immensely happy spirit, a spirit that is whole, lacking nothing...a spirit that is happy now and will be happy until the end of time.

God is...so...good.

And so, here we are. How do we deal with the loss of this man who was loved by many and who will be missed by many?

I have asked the Holy Spirit to guide me in this and here is what I am going to try to do.

I am going to appreciate more. I am going to examine and study God's creation more closely. I am going to linger at the sight of the dry leaf floating to the ground from a tree that is about to enter winter's slumber.

I am prepared to be enthralled at the green buds just emerging from the soil in this early Spring.

I am going to be amazed at the fragrant flower. I am going to contemplate the mystery of why this petal is yellow, why this one is white, why this one is red, why this one is purple?

I am going to delight in the blue of the sky. The white of the cloud, the power of the thunderstorm, the brilliance of the flash of lightning, the wetness of the rain.

And, most of all, I am going to appreciate the fact that all of it..all of it...was created by a Divine Force...and to discover the ultimate reality ...that it is the same Divine Force that created you and me.

I am going to do something else. I am going to love more. People I know, people I don't know, people I meet on the street, even people I don't particularly like...I am going to try to love them anyway. And, I am going to start now. To everyone in this Chapel may I say...I love you. I love you.

In this way I am going to try to honor Mark. And, to honor God...a God that is always good...always loving..always ready to help...a God that....never disappears.

Just a few more words...if I may.

I am proud of Mark and I am proud that he worked hard and won the respect of others. I am proud that he loved his family,,I am glad that this good God granted him time to meet the new baby in our family, little Anna. Mark got to meet her and to hug her and love her and give her presents.

I am glad that we can tell Anna stories about Mark and show her pictures of him. I hope that in the future she will know that once upon a time she had a great Uncle.

Mark had his ups and downs in life, but in the end he left this life as a ....Victor.

And so...it is done. All that went before is gone now...Mark's past is gone...but one thing remains...

Its Beauty!

Our past together...father and son and family..is gone now, but its Beauty....remains.

My dear friends...it is that Beauty that gives me comfort...I hope that it will give you comfort too.

Let us do together the only thing that we can do....go forward.

Walking forward with God. In His Love...in His Beauty...and in the knowledge that there is everlasting life...and good son, Mark, is now a part of it.

I love you...and I thank you for loving me...and my family.

Address

Medina, OH
44256

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

(330) 867-7601

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Virgil Dominic Communications posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Virgil Dominic Communications:

Shortcuts

Category

Nearby media companies

Other Media in Medina

Show All

Comments

Hello Virg.....I wanted to share a few reflections about Herb Thomas with you.
I worked with Herb Thomas at ch. 8 for more than 30 years and I never saw him laugh. By that, I mean I never saw him laugh in a traditional way. When he found something funny, his belly would shake and then a cackling noise of some sort would spew out of the side of his mouth. It sounded like the kind of noise a grandpa would make when he was trying to pretend to wind up a toy.
Herb was good at just about everything he tried. Photography, art, graphic design, and music. He never mastered bookkeeping. I remember I went into Central National Bank with him back in the late 70s. Those were the days you could pay your utility bills in the bank. That day Herb brought out a stack of bills to pay. Water, gas, electric, you name it. The process took quite some time and when it was over, he attempted to tip the teller five dollars.
Herb was seven or eight inches taller than me, and probably weighed 50 or 60 pounds more than me. You couldn't miss him when he walked into a room. When we first started working together out on news stories, I would introduce myself and then say, "This is Herb, my bodyguard."
Herb was indeed a big guy, but always insisted on having a neat appearance. I think he had his shirts and jeans dry cleaned.
Way before the days of drones, Herb got aerial shots by lifting his camera in the palm of his hand, on an upstretched arm, as high as he could. The camera probably weighed 30 pounds back then and he lifted it as if it were a feather.
In a job that was filled with high pressure situations and deadlines, Herb never lost his cool. I may have seen him be assertive a couple of times but never angry.
Herb appeared on a local skit show and played a black superhero called Soulman. Ten years after he stopped playing that role, people would still recognize him on the street and greet him with enthusiasm.
A couple of months ago, my wife and I were watching an old episode of Hot in Cleveland. Alex Trebec played a guest part on that episode and he said, "I've got to get home and watch Soulman." I thought about trying to reach Herb and ask him if he had ever known about that reference. I didn't follow through and now I will never have the chance.
So long Herb. You were as authentic and sincere as they come.
You and Jim Davis are a close resemblance!
Virgil, you and your rich voice and perfect diction came to my mind today after many years--I don't know why. So I looked up your bio on line and really enjoyed learning about your career.

Just out of college in 1969-71, I was morning newsman on WTRC Radio in Elkhart, Indiana. Due to a sudden vacancy, I also became the afternoon host and aired your NBC news on the hour. The station manager, Ed Huot, marveled at your delivery, which was better than anyone out of New York, saying, "What a set of pipes that Dominic has!"

I stayed in radio and TV for years at several stations, and now am 70 and an elected County official out in Washington State. I have admired you and just wanted to congratulate you on a life well-lived. The quality of your work challenged me to do better.
x

Other Media in Medina (show all)

aftermarketNews FairlawnGig Brecksville Magazine DJ Smillz Avalanche Media Works SKO Media Group The Akron Today Show PITV Garage Creative Studios The Akronist Brian and Jannelle Barberton's Daily News Custom Audio Mutation Dee Programming inc Akron Press Club