Terry Taylor "T.D.T."

Walter Taylor with son, Terry Taylor

Awakened by singing birds early this morning, I made an amazing discovery! Not so long ago, I took a trip up to Oakdale, Wisconsin with my sister (Coreen) and her family to see Terry Taylor. As some of you know, the trip for me was more like a mission, retrieving the long-awaited “Uncle Terry” signature. 

In our younger days, Uncle Terry lived with us and he would shoot us kids off (meaning, he would lay down on his back, get in sort of a sitting position, we'd sit down on his feet sticking up in the air). He would thrust us off and we'd launch to the moon. One particular day, it was not the moon, but the television and the landing did not go smoothly, breaking my arm. Scouring over the 38-year old cast, we found among the signatures, Gerri and Merle Adams, Carrie (older sister), Rhonda Olson (neighbor), and Carol (oldest sister, who I would like to believe is rejoicing with Terry right now). 

Upon returning home from what would be my last time seeing Uncle Terry, Carlos and Coreen were greeted with a heavenly scene; a swarm of butterflies fluttering among the lilac bushes. Amazingly, the butterflies let Coreen get very close, close enough to snap several photos and video of this glorious scene (click here to see video created on Tomah Taylors' YouTube Channel in memory of Terry from Coreen's video clip).

What a perfect reminder of how Terry, like those butterflies, transformed…

Yes, there were times of being uncomfortable, but those times lead us to move.

Yes, there were some ugly moments and struggles along the way, but those give us the desire for something more wonderful and so we press on.

Yes, there were sacrifices made along the way, but we exchange those for wings.

Yes, there is a time to transform, leaving behind an old, worn and diseased shell, giving us the ability to glide about bringing joy to the hearts of those who remember.

…into something much more beautiful, in a much better, more peaceful place - I can only imagine.

So, there it was in big, bold red (now faded) letters on my cast"T.D.T." All those years ago, I did have the prized signature after-all (either I had forgotten or did not realize, until I created this using Coreen's butterfly photo) 

~ Uncle Terry, Terry Dean Taylor, "T.D.T." ~

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