He Put the Word Honor in Honorable

On July 23, 2019, a good childhood friend of mine’s father, David Moon passed away peacefully from complications he sustained from a boogie boarding accident in Del Mar, CA. He was 78 years young.  When he knew he was dying, he made a conscientious effort to say goodbye to all of his love ones and discuss the details for his memorial service. An act I personally can’t even imagine. And, unlike the courtroom where his voice as a well-respected Superior Court Judge was always measured and powerful, his wishes had to be communicated in almost inaudible whispers via a life-saving breathing tube. It was THAT important to him that the values he believed in were communicated to others even after he was gone.

This blog is for those of you that weren’t in the packed Village church pews that memorable September morning behind his beloved chocolate Labrador, Chaco. And, to whom, I am confident will benefit from the sage advice David Moon shared via his 7 outstanding eulogists that day.

A legal partner and friend of Judge Moon’s spoke about how he consciously devoted effort to developing his character. She shared with us that he and his amazing wife Lynn of 51 years openly and consistently spoke of their four life guiding principles which were: 

1. Daily pursue development of good character. 
2. Daily practice kindness.
3. Accept people as and where they are- without judgment or condemnation.
4. Always look for the positive in every situation and you will find it.

Judge Moon has always represented a well-rounded and kind human being. So, I wasn’t surprised to learn that he actually had four guiding (and written down) principles he lived by. He was the type of person who could be a devoted husband, amazing father and friend, and well-respected professional AND do all of those things gracefully and with dignity and honor. He was the real deal. In fact, I respected him so much that I even asked him to officiate my wedding many years ago.

His daughter and my good friend Courtney spoke about how he strived everyday to be a great parent. 

She informed us that her dad subscribed to 3 newspapers which he asked everyone in the family to try to read as best as they could so that they could discuss current events at the dinner table that evening together.  As she was discussing this, I couldn’t help but think…How many families still sit down together for dinner, let alone any meal together anymore? I know my family did growing up. How is it that I can barely get mine together, let alone discuss current events when we are sitting down? Yes, we have sports commitments, but my brothers and I were active sports players as well.

She also joked that before she got her driver’s license, she had to undergo 9 weeks of lessons before and after her dad got off work on car basics (engines, changing a flat tire, jump starting a car)  BEFORE her dad taught her how to actually drive a car. Again, I couldn’t help but think of how he prioritized his time as a busy Judge so he could teach his daughter the ins and outs, and everything in between, of a car. The time, oh the precious time. And, later in life, she remarked how he would also go to extra lengths to spend quality time with her children as well.

All of these examples, and others she provided, demonstrated how he gave his precious time to others to teach them important life lessons and skills.  After all, it’s not what you say as a parent that matters, it’s what you do. Our children are watching us all the time. Dave Moon really walked the talk. And, in doing so, raised two exceptionally happy and well-balanced daughters, both of whom I am honored to know.

His youngest daughter Whitney spoke about her father’s secrets to living a happy and fulfilling life.

His sage advice included 3 things;

It’s ok to enjoy something, even if you aren’t good at it. 

After multiple sports injuries, his then 16 year old daughter asked her father what she was supposed to do regarding sports now that she had injured her shoulder a 3rd time. His response…

“My entire life, I have never been good at sports. I was always the JV player–that is, I never made the Varsity team. But, I love athletics. I played basketball and even rugby. When I was older, I took up tennis, running, and soccer–then windsurfing, hiking, and swimming. I was never very good at any of these activities, but that’s beyond the point. I love every minute I am out there getting exercise. I enjoy myself, and I look forward to the social aspects of it too.In the future, you will be able to play tennis, or soccer, or volleyball–not because you are great at it, but because you love it. That’s what matters most.”

The Moon family have always been very active and are all lovers of the outdoors. When Whitney asked her father what college she should attend, he told her:

When selecting a university to attend, make sure that there is easy access to nature.

“In my opinion, it’s really important to select a University that has easy access to nature so you can go on romantic picnics. When I was at Stanford, that is what I liked most about the school. Remember that college isn’t just about academics!”

When Whitney wasn’t sure if she should continue to study Architecture or switch to a major in English, he said.

It doesn’t matter what you do professionally, but you should love it. 

And, went on to say,

“It doesn’t matter to me what you major in, or what profession you ultimately choose. What’s most important is that you pursue something you LOVE. Everyday of my life I wake up and am excited to go to work. I LOVE the law. I LOVE my job. Every day presents a new challenge, and I look forward to that unknown. Sure, I could have done other things that would have brought me more fame or fortune. But, not many people can honestly say that they love what they do. And some people may never find it. But if you know that you love Architecture, or you know that you love English, then do that.Or, maybe you find a way to do both.”

It is impossible to sum up how honorable this man, father, and role model was in a handful of paragraphs. But, I hope by sharing, and thus reflecting on his life and the values he wanted communicated at his memorial service, this blog will find others, like me, who want to live the length and width of their lives as honorably and well as David Moon did. Judge Moon, may you rest in peace knowing that you truly have made a difference in many people’s lives.