TOO YOUNG
I just got off the phone with a former student of mine. He was one of a group of four that lived near our office, one of the first kids I got to know when I started working at The Enterprise Center. He called, among other things, to let me know how he was doing and to ask my help with a business he's thinking of starting. But he also called to tell me that one of his old friends from the block, one of the group of four, was recently killed.
The news hit me like a dull thud. He didn't have any details on how it happened, but knew that it was recently. He said he thought I'd want to know. He then went on to tell me that another of the group of four wasn't doing so great; I told him that I'd seen the fourth member of his boyhood crew, and that that fourth guy seemed to be doing OK.
As we talked more, he went on about how much trouble I had kept him out of, how grateful he was for me looking out for him. I honestly couldn't think of anything spectacular that I had done for this guy; I guess I tried when I could to be a reliable and encouraging adult in his life. From what I heard from this old student of mine, being that for him helped save his life.
Unfortunately, I can't help but think about the other guy, the one that was killed recently. This was a good kid. It boggles my mind that he is gone, having not even lived two decades on this earth. I wonder what kind of anguish his mother must be going through, a sweet woman who was always nice to me when I would visit their house.
There is no tidy summary statement to conclude this entry. For I am feeling a little overwhelmed. I am appreciative of one young man's kind words to me, to call me and tell me what a difference I've made in his life. And I am saddened to hear of the passing of another young man, saddened that too many young men in this neighborhood die too young.
I just got off the phone with a former student of mine. He was one of a group of four that lived near our office, one of the first kids I got to know when I started working at The Enterprise Center. He called, among other things, to let me know how he was doing and to ask my help with a business he's thinking of starting. But he also called to tell me that one of his old friends from the block, one of the group of four, was recently killed.
The news hit me like a dull thud. He didn't have any details on how it happened, but knew that it was recently. He said he thought I'd want to know. He then went on to tell me that another of the group of four wasn't doing so great; I told him that I'd seen the fourth member of his boyhood crew, and that that fourth guy seemed to be doing OK.
As we talked more, he went on about how much trouble I had kept him out of, how grateful he was for me looking out for him. I honestly couldn't think of anything spectacular that I had done for this guy; I guess I tried when I could to be a reliable and encouraging adult in his life. From what I heard from this old student of mine, being that for him helped save his life.
Unfortunately, I can't help but think about the other guy, the one that was killed recently. This was a good kid. It boggles my mind that he is gone, having not even lived two decades on this earth. I wonder what kind of anguish his mother must be going through, a sweet woman who was always nice to me when I would visit their house.
There is no tidy summary statement to conclude this entry. For I am feeling a little overwhelmed. I am appreciative of one young man's kind words to me, to call me and tell me what a difference I've made in his life. And I am saddened to hear of the passing of another young man, saddened that too many young men in this neighborhood die too young.
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