Patrick - being very "cheeky" for the camera.
Okay. I prefer this picture not be spread all over the Internet – for obvious reasons.
In this photo, I’m looking inside the cockpit of the aerobatics airplane, while Patrick, unbeknownst to me, is being a “bad boy” and acting like he’s posing with my butt cheek. Lovely. Of course, it was one of those situations that, if I had turned and caught him, I would have scowled at him – what are you doing? To which he would have adopted his most innocent, lost-little-boy look – Who, meeee??
In my book “Worth Fighting For”, I mention that Patrick always liked to call himself the “King of Irreverence,” noting that “nothing was sacred, or off-limits”. And he did his best to live up to his title; pulling pranks, and telling off-color jokes that I would roll my eyes over. And as much as I complained that some of his jokes shouldn’t be told in mixed company, he’d just grin. He was unstoppable.
The dogs in the back may be having a little too much fun.
He always wanted to shake things up, kick people off their little perches, and not be so serious (and he’d go to great lengths to do it)! I was one of those serious people – so full of thought, very earnest about everything, and always protecting what I felt was important. And from this stance, I’d peer out from underneath my hood of intense contemplation to see Patrick running circles around me, “Come play! Come play!” he’d be saying.
We use to have a dog named Derek, and Patrick described Derek’s social interaction with other dogs perfectly – “You’re either going to play with me, or you’re going to fight me. You pick. But it’s going to be one, or the other.” Patrick was a lot like Derek.
This irrepressible spirit also shone in my beloved aerobatics instructor, Randy Gagne’, who died in 1997. I never saw him pick a fight though (maybe because he was Canadian and not Irish). Randy’s mentioned in my book also, and he was always tirelessly thinking up ways to make life entertaining, whether it was play, or work. His wife, Sheree, laughed with tears in her eyes when she told me the story of when they were at a party, and he and a friend went around and had their picture taken with every woman in the room – that had the big breasts. Now, this wasn’t exactly politically correct, but it sure made it a fun party for them! Sheree herself was a very serious person, and after Randy, the love of her life, died, she told me, “He was always trying to get me to lighten up! And I just didn’t get it then. Not until much later. But he tried… He tried…”
This woman would have been a perfect candidate for Randy's camera.
Lighten up.
I sure got a big dose of that lesson when my husband was ill. So many things that I thought were really important – weren’t. What are we here for anyway?
It’s March, and March means St. Patrick’s Day. And isn’t it funny – that the celebration for St. Patrick, who was a seriously ordained bishop and is the Patron Saint of Ireland – is to party, pinch people, wear silly hats, and drink green beer?
Yee-haw. Is this guy having fun, or what?
It’s like, the whole day is devoted to lightning up!
And though Patrick shares the same name as St. Patrick, he’d be the first to admit that he was no saint. But… maybe in his teasing, his mischievousness, his pranks, and daredevil humor, he brought the angels down to play here on earth. And those angels – well, they would have been completely at home with one of their own as they spread a little of that light around.
oh my gosh ,Lisa i have seen that pic with Patrick and you with the dogs,Blahahahaha,,,,,never noticed the ones in the back. 🙂 was always looking at Patrick. Thank You for the new pic,it;s awesome.
Julia
Just love that “cheeky” picture Lisa!
Yes it is wonderful that we have a day to celebrate like the Irish. I always wear green on St. Patricks day and it is nice to see people having fun. In this world we need to take the time to let loose and be like a kid again.
I am sure Patrick is with those angels and is having a good time today. May we all enjoy being like the Irish not just for one day, but make time to have fun on other days in our lives.
Your Patrick had it right, we should lighten up!
Happy St. Patrick’s Day Lisa.
Oh Lisa, that was beautiful, it made me cry and laugh, Such great memories you have. I had read or heard that Patrick was a practical joker. What fun it must have been to be around him, never a dull moment, right? Happy St. Patrick;s Day to you, Thanks for sharing this and the pictures. Blessings to you, Pat
Happy St. Pat’s Day, to you and thanks for the great blog.
LOVE that picture…hmm…maybe Patrick should be wearing a set of horns with a halo! Ha, ha! 😉
I hope you are having a wonderful St. Patrick’s day! Patrick is an angel-your angel, and I know he is watching over you, sending you love and light-as he does everyday. Here’s a traditional Irish prayer I found and wanted to share with you. It is my prayer to you…
“May God give you…
For every storm, a rainbow,
For every tear, a smile,
For every care, a promise,
And a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends,
A faithful friend to share,
For every sigh, a sweet song,
And an answer for each prayer.”
As always, much love!! XX
Lindsay, such beautiful words. I do think that every cloud has a silver lining, although it might be hard to see it. There is always something to be learned from any situation, we just need time to understand. How much time is so individual, we need to be patient with one another. x
Thank you, Geraldine! I came across that Irish prayer yesterday, and just had to share! x
Great blog Lisa! And that photo is hilarious!!
Patrick sounds like he was a ray of sunshine to have around, I think we all need someone to pull us out of our most serious moments. Makes life so much more happier 🙂
You were both so nice to me and will always have a special place in my heart. I love the picture,and thank you for sharing it. I wish he had been able to make the movie of Arabian horses, ” Drinkers of the Wind “
I think Patrick was always a little bit of a jokester. I miss him very much.
I always watch Dirty Dancing. Its the movie that I noticed Patrick in.
It was his greatest movie ever made. I’m glad that you have this website up.
I visit everytime you make a new post up.
Patrick is one of God’s angels and I know that he looks down on you
to make sure that your safe and happy.
XX & OO
lovely story <3
Dear Lisa,
I think your Buddy was very hilarious person.You must have great and cheerful memories.I can imagine he cheers up angels now….
Happy St. Patrick´s Day lady. I hope you are OK.
Sending a lot of love to you and to Patrick.
Take care,
Ha ha love it !
Hello Lisa,
This was a good laugh, thanks!
I so many times think: “Ah….me too”. I am one of those ‘serious’ people too, while seriously I KNOW I shouldn’t be and should loosen up way more than I do… Always thinking twice…. Ugh! I definitely want to change that (because in a way that’s NOT me)! I got a big lesson also, when my sister in law died in 2009 and we all were part of her last dreadful and inhuman journey. And so many times I thought and think of what you just said:
“What are we here for anyway?”
Guess we never get the answer to that question, but today you have pointed out that it sure means that we should make the best of every brand new day and cherish again what we DO have and while cherishing make a lot of fun and laugh!
You are able to inspire people in a way that is so meaningful and indulgent. I am grateful to have found you and your website. I really enjoy your stories and look forward to read them every time. It makes me smile and gives me a feeling of comfort, care and safety. What a wonderful mother you would have been…
X Sandra
You know, it would have been easy for me to stay in last evening and work, but I called friends, and sure enough they were going out and asked me to join them. So I did! So, I didn’t get further along in my work, but I sure had some good laughs, and some great conversation. And I think that was just as valuable.
Thanks for your message! L
I love the humor but I also know that for the entourage that is not always fun. It’s tiring to try to curb excesses but later we laughed. Thank you for sharing these moments. Take care of yourself Lisa.
Hey Lisa,
Thanks for another fantastic blog. I loved the photos especially the cheeky one,I always thought that Patrick would have had a absolutely wicked sense of humour. You are a bit like me,when my husband does or says something cheeky or funny I tend to just roll my eyes but inside I am usually laughing but I can’t show him or he will do more cheeky things. ( that sometimes are very embarrassing).
I noticed net yesterday there were a few posts on the net saying not just happy St Particks day but happy St Partick Swayze day. So Happy St Patrick Swayze day to you Lisa. And I hope you enjoy a glass of green guiness.
Lorna xx
St. Patrick Swayze Day. I didn’t see that. How about that?
I know at Christmas there also the “Have a Patrick Swayze Christmas” that goes around.
XXL
Just noticed I spelt Patricks name wrong name twice. Whoops!
Im writing like I have been drinking guiness.!! I will stop now before i notice any more mistakes.
I’m always switching letters around like that. I think my brain is gong faster than my fingers. it’s really irritating. There are some words I always have to check, cause invariably I get them wrong! Ah, I remember one of them – Neimi (instead of Niemi), and it’s my own name!
I have an i for you! It belongs to gong 🙂
Lisa, thank you so much for sharing your life with Patrick with us. I cannot fathom living in the spotlight and Patrick’s illness and death are so very personal, private and precious. I appreciate your willingness to let us in to your private life through your books and blog. Patrick was a celebrity we all wanted to know. He was real and not a sell out to stardom. I admired him for that. While I know it’s nothing in comparison to your grief and loneliness, I’m sure you know there are thousands, possibly millions worldwide who miss seeing/hearing about Patrick. This winter I had an opportunity to visit “Boone Hall plantation”. I felt honored to be in the same place I knew he had spent time filming. Its amazing how someone I had never personally known could influence my life. You are doing a great service to his fans by allowing us pieces of your life/thoughts on here. I have always thought the amount of grief you feel upon a death is proportionate to the amount of love you had in life. In a way, grief is a blessing undercover because it exisits only because there was great love in life. Lisa, I admire you for
pushing forward and thank you for allowing us to be a part of your life.
Yes, I’ve lost other people in my life, and it hurt terribly for awhile, and then it was okay. Those were nothing like this loss. Not even remotely. But I’ve really gotten to see that as a couple, you really do become a part of one another.
Hello Lisa,
When I started to read your blog and came to the word “off- color jokes” I had to think for one moment what that could mean… The only think that came in my mind had something to do with black people and I though: “Nooo, that wasn’t meant, Patrick would have never made such jokes, I must be wrong…. But then my little friend dictionary told me that I wasn’t wrong and it made me smile. It made me smile because my friend can embarrass me in the same way, and I hate it, especially when we are not alone… What might people think? Where is the hole to jump in? And when he mentions what happens with me he won’t stop – no no – for him it’s the noun to really start… Bad bad boy..
But in the end I,m grateful that the does it (after the situations, when my face isn’t still shame-red..) because it’s a good treatment for a serious and adjusted person. You told about Sheree who had such a “Treatment” too and I think it’s not coincident that shy people mostly have the completly opposite as a partner! It’s like playing Memory with non fitting cards – you win when you don’t find the same cards!
The funniest thing about your blog for me is that when my boyfriend used to act like that, in the past I told him things like: I’m sure that Patrick Swayze isn’t doing things like that to his wife!” or ” Can’t you be romantic for one time like Patrick Dempsey, please?” Now it makes me really laugh, because my beautiful imagination-bubble is popped and that everything is fine the way it is! He knew the truth before by telling me: I’m sure that even a Patrick Swayze isn’t acting like the guy from dirty dancing…” Ok, ok ….but could you eventually be like him for one time? ” Nope, I can’t dance…” :-))
I love the Airplane – picture, thank you for sharing it. With your help he still can bring people to smile or laugh, that’s a great gift you bring him and us!
BTW: Your blog is better and more up-lifting than any pill or therapist, we want more! Especially for me that is fighting with a depression (Awww, hate that word so much) I can tell you, that your blog really helps me and I’m sure I’m not the only one. Thank you so much for the light you bring and I hope, that sometimes I can give a ray of light back!
Tani
Wasn’t sure if your finally found out what “off-color” means. It means “on the verge of indecent” or “threatening to be in bad taste.” And you know how raunchy jokes can get sometimes! He was unafraid, and loved them. Of course he always tell them with a cute smile on his face!
Thank you for answering! I think I know what you mean.
I understand more and more but some words kick me out and I start to consider and sometimes the funniest things come in my thoughts. It’s because I want to find out the meaning of unknown words by myself (and I do this very often)…but it’s good to have a dictionary and a private teacher 😉
Tani
OMG: Did you think that I understood “racism-jokes” ? That was my very first translation because of the word “color”, but I was absolutely sure that you didn’t mean that. We are no racists, my friend isn’t telling jokes about people from foreign countries, he’s telling dirty jokes – nothing else….
I have relatives in Africa, because my uncle was married with an African woman. I would never ever have a friend with racial views! I’m a huge Tina (Turner) fan, I love black music , black people and I dissociate myself from every kind of exclusion!
Tani
My husband, Van, was always trying to get me to “lighten up”. He was the funny, friendly, never met a stranger, person. Even in doctors waiting rooms, he was talking to everyone, while I just read my nook..What I wouldn’t give to hear some of his “corny” jokes right now..Love the pic, Patrick reminds me of Van quite a bit.
I know what you mean. And I’m sure that you, like me, had a little laughter behind the rolling of our eyes!
Hello Lisa,
I wish you a beautiful St.Patrick Day and Thank you for beautiful Pictures.
I ignite a candle for Patrick 🙂
Love and Light
Simone
Lisa that is such a cheeky picture of Patrick. It made me laugh
Happy St. Patrick’s Day, Lisa! I hope you had a great one! Love the photos!
Terri
Hi Lisa- The best pictures are the ones we don’t know are happening, don’t you think? I think you must have had your hands full with Patrick – but it sounds like it was never boring! Thanks for sharing these personal insights and pictures I truly admire the both of you!
Ingrid
Incredible! Amazing! I liked all about this article, so emotional, Lisa. Like these pictures very much. Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Hello Lisa
Thank you for sharing this “cheeky-photo” with us! It made me laughing out loud – Patrick made me laughing out loud – and this before I read that he always was trying to conjure people a smile on their face 🙂 It means a lot to me, that you are telling about Patrick and keep him even more alive through your memories.
I belong to the kind Patrick was: I love to make people laughing and see things from a funny side. Not that I can’t be serious when things really are not to laugh about. But I figured out, that many situations are so much better to handle, when you can face them with a smile and a kind of humor.
Hope you had a happy St. Patrick Swayze Day 🙂
Love an hugs
Nicole
The look on his face, in your cheeky pic, reminded me of his dad. You did in deed have your hands full!! You couldn’t help but be smiling when posting THAT picture. It’s hilarious!
Hi Lisa
Super blog again, love the pictures of you and Patrick, bet it feels quite uplifting to see your cheeky Patrick posing with your butt cheek, as it must make you giggle to think how saucy he was, its fun to see what a sence of humour he had and how he had his play time love it Lisa.
These memories of fun and mischief must really touch your heart, as its something you both had to share so special so thanks again for sharing this God bless you love
love Julie XXOX
The more I read what you write about Patrick the more he reminds me of my husband, also gone from pancreatic cancer. A prankster…loved life and wanted everyone to feel the same! I can’t tell you how it feels to read your words…after almost 9 years without my husband, finally, someone who gets it. And as for realizing all the things we thought were important really aren’t. Oh my gosh! Big time! Thank you, Lisa, for allowing us into your and Patrick’s lives. I seem to breathe much easier after reading your words.
Dear Lisa!
Thank you so much for all your great blogs! It is so very from you … with all this you keep the memory of Patrick alive and fresh! I`m sure that he is so very proud of you … with every word you write I can feel the deep Love between Patrick and you! Lisa you two are like one person… !!!
I`m sending you my Love … please take good care of you … A big hug to you from Regine!!!
Thanks, Regine.
Dear Lisa,
there is something that I forget to mention in my comment! Dear Lisa… thank you for being like you are… so very special, lovely and beautiful! You show us … that this is Reality…. Love is so much stronger as Death !
Nothing will change when a beloved one has to leave this earth … the Love will stay …forever ….!!
May god bless you — A big hug from Regine!!
Beautiful said. No doubt about it, the love stays. It’s not something that can come undone, ever. Thanks, again! L
Haha that photo is hilarious!!! Thank you for sharing.. !
Yes it is funny that St. Patrick’s day is about a serious bishop but is celebrated with people wearing silly hats and lots of Guinness..! I celebrated St. Patrick’s day in The Hague this year and I had a great time.. I was feeling very tired that day but I soon as I was there with all the people I felt happy! So yes..it’s devoted to lighten up!
I do Irish Dancing and we did a flashmob at the mall which is now all over the internet 🙂 And later on we performed at the market and we did my favorite dance..the A capella and when I stood on the stage I said to myself..this one is for you Patrick Swayze! Cause for me St. Patrick’s day is not just about the Irish St.Patrick but also about Patrick Swayze…!!!
So funny to hear that Patrick loved pulling pranks! I read it in Time of my life also. They say men never grow up….well if you hear about the pranks and see the photo you posted…..you’d have to believe that haha. I’d love to hear more about Patrick’s pranks!
And great leprechaun shoes!!!!!!!!
Xx
Thank you for dedicating your dance to Patrick!!!
Have just started watching the DVDs of The Beast, a reminder of just what an amazing actor Patrick was. What struck me most though, was how handsome and manly he looks, then suddenly that smile appears and there’s the cheeky. loveable guy who we see in your photo Lisa!
As a community nurse, going into peoples homes, I find this cheeky kind of humour combined with kindness and empathy helps build relationships. I’ve nursed many dying people and they and their families are so special to me and my colleagues. I remember every single person and have shared many tears with them. It is truly a privilege to be a part of such an intimate, profound time in their lives, and it is something I never forget. But we have also had some amazing, fun times during these periods and families have told me how important it was to them to have these moments.
One day, I asked by two grown lads, if it’s possible, would they like me to try and contact them when I died. They said that they’d know I was about, beause I would probably pull their trousers down at the most embarrassing moments! I’d be more than happy to be remembered for my irreverent sense of humour!
Ha,ha, that’s great. And I understand the privilege you feel going into these situations as a community nurse. It’s such a precious, delicate time. And can be so incredibly full of love.
Yes, that feeling of love is amazing, almost tangible and the most precious gift we can ever give x
That look is the master of all looks I think. Each time I get that little boy look I still succumb to it each and every time no matter how much i try to resist.
The picture of Patrick being cheeky is fantastic, it shows a side of Patrick that we only hear about and it is good to see the real Patrick . thank you!
Lisa,
I just finished your book. Incredible and emotionally raw – clearly felt the love between the two of you. Having been a fan of his for as long as I can remember, I was so drawn to read about his life adventures in his book and your strength (& his) and love in your book! I actually had to call my mom when I came across the part where you find Patrick’s bleak (I can not find the right words – I apologize) report at Northwestern on November 23, 2008. I read that and said to myself – I was having the best day of my life that same day in a hospital in Omaha, Nebraska. I had delivered my little boy Ben (after miscarrying a baby in January) and was crying tears of joy. I almost couldn’t find the strength to finish the book – it made me feel so sad to know that such pain was being felt at the same time, with you both. But I have to say, your strength and fight for Patrick – as was his – was worth picking back up and reading!!! You are an amazing, tough woman and keep taking each day as they come!
I’m so moved that you were delivering your baby on that same day! To me, I think it’s so appropriate because in both of our situations, for completely different reasons, we were so keenly and deeply aware that day of just how precious life is. It’s such a gift.
Hi Lisa,
I was so moved by your Twitter post this morning and I thought of you several times. I hope you’re feeling better. It’s spring time that makes it harder for you, am I right? It’s hard when everything around you awakes and comes to life. It takes to acclimate with the light and the happiness that surrounds you… But there comes the day when you’ll enjoy it. And you have so wonderful animals there with you, they will help you, I hope so.
It’s a gift to have friends who can listen, friends who don’t give advice, who are just there. I wish you have lot of caring people and friends around you, so that you are not alone. Even in the darkest nights the stars are there, don’t forget that, okay?
Sleep well (or have a good morning – choose)
Tani
Btw: I can’t tweet, this Twitter thing is so complicated, I tried it several times, but I’m doing something wrong… And you have only a few signs to use for one tweet, that’s not enough for me 🙂 That’s because I write here, if you wonder…
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