Today I learned that some close
friends of mine have lost their dad after a long battle with cancer. I can't
even imagine the soul crushing grief that comes with losing a parent. I can
only pray for them and make it a point to talk to my dad more often and cherish
every moment that I have with him.
This last season of my life has been one of loss and victory. In
the last 6 months I have lost a relationship that I thought was solid, a friend
who was like a brother and now a spiritual parent. As I
drove home from work today I spent some time pondering loss both of people and
of relationships and of the myriad emotions I felt the most common one was a
sense of gratitude for every moment that I’ve had with those two people that I’ve lost and
for the lessons they’ve taught me.
Austin Dionne was my brother in
arms. I first met him in 2008 when he came to spend a week checking out this
crazy masters commission with my good friend Brandon Roberts. Austin was the
kind of person whos enthusiasm for life
was contagious. He taught me to not take life so seriously and to love people
with everything that you have. In the tragedy that was losing him to suicide I
learned what it is to fight for the hearts of people that you love and that
miles don’t matter. I hold everyone I love so much closer now and refuse to
turn a blind eye to the pain of those around me. The short time I was able to do life with
Austin is time I will cherish forever.
December -11 -1990-October- 10 -2013
Ed Bjorklund was the kind of man
they talk about in western movies. I first met him when I was about 16 years
old and was attending a youth group that his son Daniel and Daughter Kristen
also attended. I remember being slightly in awe of this man who seemed like he
could fix anything with his bare hands. For the next few years I spent many
summer afternoons invading his backyard pool with our assortment of unwashed
teenagers. Despite the noise and mess that we always brought with us Ed was so very willing to open his home to
our band of ruffians. He was the sort of gentle giant who you knew that would
always be there if you needed him. Even though
we learned to never pat him on the head *cough moofis* we always knew that if
we needed to talk out a life problem or didn't know why our cars were making
that weird rattling sound Ed would always be there with wisdom, patience and a
willingness to see it through to the finish.
Ed and his wife even opened their home to me
during a rough patch of my life and let me sleep on their couch on more than
one occasion where I found myself without a home. From them I learned how to love people where
they were at and to give without expecting anything in return. I learned what
it is to leave a legacy of faith and that the character of a person is really
what matters.
When I found out a few years ago
that he had cancer I almost didn’t believe it. He was the sort of man who like
my dad and grandpa was invincible. I’ve been able to walk alongside his amazing
kids during this journey and if their was ever a man whose legacy of faith is
echoed in the hearts and attitudes of his family it was Ed. Even though my
heart breaks for Sarah, Kristin, Daniel , Brian and Ms Teri . I am so thankful
for the legacy he left behind and for the example of character , integrity and
selflessness He taught me.
