JACK JOHNSON LYRICS
"Times Like These"
In times like these
In times like those
What will be will be
And so it goes
And it always goes on and on...On and on it goes
And there has always been laughing, crying, birth, and dying
Boys and girls with hearts that take and give and break
And heal and grow and recreate and raise and nurture
But then hurt from time to time like these
And times like those
And what will be will be
And so it goes.
And so it goes. The funerals are over. Three. Each a tribute to a son gone too soon. Each a beautiful expression of a family's love, hope, faith, and prayers. There is no planning for a tragedy induced funeral. Reaction and action in midst of chaos. That's what happens.
At times like these, good people hurting do good things for hurt people and in the end, the ceremonies touch hearts and souls. They also make young men and women out of boys and girls. Certainly some childness is lost when young people lose their own. Writing, and then delivering a sensitive goodbye, in front of strangers, to a best friend takes a frame of mind untried by most. At 16, that mind is untested by heartache. That is for most 16 year olds, but not for one young man we saw grow more mature today. Wade Vincent is a friend of our family. He was three or four when we met him. He's sixteen going on 30 something after these past few months.
In April Wade was running back and forth from his house to our's playing and exchanging video games with our boys. In May Wade was walking the same path he and his brother Jason and Aaron and Patrick hiked for years. These walks were different though because Wade was trudging to spend precious time with Patrick to help him heal through Aaron's death.
Big Wade. I remember Patrick at about 1 1/2 trying to tag along with Aaron, Jason, and Wade as they were on their way to some little boy high adventure. Often Wade would stop at the lot line (he was lagging a bit behind the older two) turning to Patrick, and bending down to his size, raising his hand to say "No Patrick. Stay home, you can't come with us." Patrick would turn and run to us. I remember Patrick's floppy mop bouncing as he ran back smiling, with his blue baby(s) in his hand. Cathy and I recall laughing at this routine and can't imagine so much has past since those days.
Fast forward to yesterday. I watched Wade walking over to our house with a sheet of paper in his hand. The parent's of Wade's best friend Matt, asked him to say a few words at Matt's funeral. Wade knew he wanted the presentation to be like the one Jenna gave at Aaron's funeral. He had the first two sentences down and came looking for some inspiration to put his thoughts on to paper.
Wade sat with me at Aaron and Patrick's Garden of Tranquiltiy for Peace and Serenity and shared his memories of times with his friend. This is not an easy task for anyone. Honesty helps and Wade spoke from his heart. When we had the thoughts reduced to notes we came inside to this keyboard and Wade went to work. When he was finished, Wade had his tribute from his soul to his friend.
We watched Wade take his place at the podium and listened to him deliver his gift. Wade's voice toned deep sadness but did not break until everyone, it seemed, was crying. When Wade removed his glasses and continued, I cried in part for sadness and in part for gratitude for Wade. Wade walked down from the podium more of a man than the one who walked up the steps and was met by Patrick. The two hugged until they were joined by Matt's Father. The love expressed from one friend to another in and after the speach was deep.
Patrick is now old enough to follow Wade beyond the safety of our boundaries. I pray they use what they have learned this year to go places and do good together. Too much has been paid in the price of admission to their young adulthood.
At a time of year when Moms and Dads are sending their children off to college, we watched three blessed families release their sons to Heaven. Other parents are seeing their sons and daughters move on to a maturity known only by those who experience true grief. My prayer tonight is for God's compassion and mercy for all parents, sons and daughters where ever their journey takes them.
At times like these...Peace
Tom
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