I signed on today to share one of Beej's writings about his struggle with "pride."
I will do that one day soon, but as I sit, I am flooded with memories of my father. He was a humble, gentle, and quiet man who dedicated his life to children. He taught elementary school, then was a guidance counselor at the elementary level for 15 years. He made a difference in a lot of students lives...inner city students. He was a devout follower of Christ, who led by example.

My father passed away from pancreatic cancer Aug. 26, 1994. BJ was almost 5. Beej and his grandpa were very close. They spent a lot of time playing together. Beej was my father's only grandson, and he was thrilled, because an ultrasound before BJ was born indicated that BJ was a girl. Boy, were we all surprised. When my father died, a new era began in BJ's life.

He developed a very close relationship with his gramma (my mother). I believe my mother is one of the few people who understood BJ's depth. You see, after my dad's going home to be with Jesus, a new tradition started with BJ and gramma. When she came to visit, gramma would sleep in BJ's bed and Beej would sleep on the floor in his room. They would talk far into the wee hours of the night. My mom mostly listened, but she heard and saw deep into BJ's heart. This began when BJ was 5, and continued until his death.

Before his bedtime, he would whisper to her, "don't be too long, I wanna have time to talk." He shared so many things with her. Some hurts, some joys, and some mundane things. These were precious times to them both. Both grew from this experience. Gramma kept most of his secrets, but occasionally would clue us in to things we "needed to know."

There is a hole in my mother's heart. How she longs for those nights. Two of the most important men in her life are at a different address these days. But she knows where to find them, and she knows she will get to see them one day, soon.

Thank you mom for investing in BJ's life. Thank you for investing in my life, and that of my family. We are so blessed because of you. I Love You!!!

Your son, Beej's dad