Remembering

Every time I see a hawk, I think of him.
When cardinals swoop in to fetch seeds,
and where there are beautiful, creative, pensive children,
I remember Alan.

Keen observer of nature's details,
Lover of birds, of rosemary and maidenhair fern,
Builder, architect, and spatial designer,
Intuitive beyond his young years.

I do not know his heart from the inner circle.
I am not his mother or father or sister,
but I have glimpsed his all too brief life
and joined the throng who prayed for his comfort, peace, and healing.
His is a legacy of courage and inspiration.

Other children will be honored to walk in his footsteps as their lives model unselfishness and courage in the face of difficulty.
Children like John Spencer must carry on.
He set the bar high.
We tell the story. And tell it again.
And there is a gift in remembering.

In memoriam
Alan Stallings
October 2, 2008