Rest In Peace, Andy Griffith

Andy Griffith passed away today.

I usually don't put very much thought into celebrity deaths - not to sound harsh, but I don't know these people and it doesn't usually have much of an effect on me.
It's different this time. Part of me feels as if Andy Griffith was family. When you grow up in a Southern town, watching your family members as they wave to strangers driving by, seeing them give to people who have fallen on hard times because it's the right thing to do (and never even dreaming that it might be out of the ordinary to do so), and hearing the great Southern storytellers that we all have in our families, something about the Mayberry life resonates within you.

I've been to Mayberry. Yes, I know it's called Mt. Airy, but it's Mayberry to me and quite a few others, I would imagine. I've eaten cake at the Diner. I don't think Juanita served it to me, though.
We called Madeline "Opie" until we knew she was a girl.
My good friend, Sara V, gave me the Andy Griffith Show Trivia Game for Christmas several years ago.
There's just something about the clean humor and sense of community on the show that makes people want to be Andy Griffith's friend.

The values Andy teaches Opie on the show are simple, honest, meaningful values that are lacking in a lot of modern families. I don't want our family to lack those values.

Here's a clip of one such lesson:

Opie's Allowance

I know Andy Taylor and Andy Griffith are two different people. But, you can't hear the real Andy Griffith sing "Church in the Wildwood" without closing your eyes and tapping your feet as if you were at a singing in the spring.

Andy Griffith - Witness to the Resurrection on July 3, 2012. May he rest in peace.