Uplifting Shares

Last Monday night I wrote about "The Aaron House" and included a request for interested people to make contributions. Tuesday morning a friend who read the blog Monday night brought in a check for $100.00! She seemed inspired by the mission and wanted to plant a seed. We are grateful.

Today, while working on the pond and stream, I saw a van coming around the corner. I recognized the driver as Emery, a Dad to a boy in Aaron's class and another in Patrick Class. They were not intending to stop but when we recognized eachother, Emery pulled right over and jumped out to say how sorry he was that Aaron had died. He's a few years older than me and we share a common interest in wanting our sons to be healthy. Emery had an important memory to share with me and he made my good day great by telling me about Aaron and his son Ty.

In 2003, Aaron was practicing football as a Junior on the varsity; his eighth year of organized football. Ty also a Junior was playing on a team for the first time ever. Remembering plays was not the easiest thing for Aaron. Catching the ball was as natural to him as falling down, but not remembering plays. I'm sure, no, I know Aaron was ridden hard by more coaches than me for running the wrong routes or missing a block. He knew the hurt of ridicule in front of peers. Emery shared that Ty told him "Aaron was the one guy who welcomed me to the team and told me what to do when I didn't know what to do on a play."

Ty didn't become a big contributor to the team but I do remember a sad night when Aaron was reaching the depths of his struggle. With the game well in hand, just minutes remaining and the coaches finally substituting, the benches was being cleared. Player after player was running in for a minute under the lights of the varsity football game. Aaron, who always stood with his helmet strapped on, ready to go in, was left standing on the sidelines. Ty went in. Aaron stood. His heart was probably in his throat. My blood was boiling.

Aaron came home after the game. He walked up to me, needing a hug. Aaron cried in my arms in the middle of the kitchen. I held back tears; today I would cry with a son in that kind of pain.

One day Aaron came home from Mt. Bachelor for a week long visit. We went to the Homecoming football game as a family. Aaron sat between Cathy and me. Patrick was with his friends in the stands. An adult asked Aaron if he missed being on the team. Aaron said "I'd rather be sitting here than standing on that sideline again." We all laughed. Later at home, Aaron went down to his room. I feared he would be crying. I had tears in my eyes when I went down to see him.

Aaron came out of his room holding some football shorts and practice shirts. "What's wrong Dad?" He asked. "I thought you were upset." I answered. He laughed and gave me the biggest hug. "No, I'm fine." I apologized to him for not keeping him safe. Aaron told me "Don't think you could have done anything. I made the wrong choices." I cried in his arms, I felt so bad that he was missing his senior season, his friends, his home. "Dad, I've got this lighter that I used to use to smoke pot. All of this is behind me. Let's go burn it together." We went out to our fire pit in the back yard.

The remains of a very dangerous past experience went up in smoke. We burned the pot lighter too.

Tom