Dedicated to Education

Since Jason was limited in physical events due to his blindness, he quickly realized the arena of academia was a place for him to excel. He entered school at the age of 4 and was enrolled at the University of Northern Colorado at the time of his sudden death. So for 28 of his 32 years he was committed to education. We were not surprised when he went into teaching for he had found the niche that he had been preparing for all of his life. The enclosed photo shows Jason at 12 deep in thought. More than likely he was contemplating a math problem since math was always his favorite subject.

Be Careful What You Ask.

The morning before I left to sub for a third grade class, I noticed a national icon was 80 years old that day. So before I passed out some stickers for good class work. I ask the class if they knew who was having their 80th birthday, today. The resounding response was "You,Mr. B!" I replied "No, do I look 80?" One young man said "You do look at least 70." Then a sweet young lady stated "You look closer to 60 ,Mr.B." Guess who received two Mickey Mouse stickers? Mickey was the 80 year old.
It never hurts to be humbled by the perceptions of a class of 8 year old third graders.

To Honor

When I have the privilege to talk about my book and tell about our son Jason, I always tell everyone this is another way I honor his life. Many of the groups are chapters of The Compassionate Friends and the poem "To Honor" was written for our chapter in Texas.

To Honor

When they look down upon us, do they like what they see?
Are we honoring their memory the way they would want it to be.
Do they know that even though they have died that we will never be apart?
Do they know they are with us always, forever in our hearts?

As a parent we try our best to prepare them for the day we would leave,
Were they not preparing us for their early death that we could never see?
If life is a lesson and everyday is for learning then we must go on,
Because the love we share for our child makes the bond we have eternally strong.

Talking about your child can help ease the pain as you share precious memories along the way,
Reach out to others when they join us on the road that is paved with sorrow, tears, and pain.
Let them talk and you just listen to what they really need to say.
Then take what you have experienced to help them make it through the days.

Let me go, I need pie!

This is Jason at the age of 3 as he anticipates another Thanksgiving feast with his Papaw and Mamaw

Thanksgiving 2008

Thanksgiving was the family holiday every year. It was Jace's favorite due to being with family and also the one time each year he could be assured to have Mamaw's pecan pie. The last holiday we shared with him was in 2002 with a group of his friends in Colorado Springs. It is forever etched in our hearts. Today, we are both thankful for the love that Jace still provides and for the love and support of our family friends. We live a good life and have indeed been blessed.

Let's Try This Again.

It has been awhile since my last post but Jason is continuing to inspire and enrich my life. His mother always said that she cared for him the first 18 years and that the second 18 would be mine. When he died at the age of 32, I felt cheated but was I ever wrong. I decided to start substituting in the elementary schools in our city and have felt the joy and energy from all the students. It is actually a great experience and one method I am using to continue to honor our son. Another gift we receive each year compliments of his alma mater, Stephen F. Austin State University, is the introduction of a new scholarship student. The scholarship committee is so stellar that each student has not only been an excellent scholar but has become a new friend. Even though Jason would be 37 now , I still had him for the full 18 and what is even better today, now his mother and I can enjoy all the memories of his life and the new memories he is introducing together for the rest of our lives.

In future posts, I will share some of the events of my days in the second through sixth grades. It can be humbling, amusing, and sometimes concerning.