Requiem for a really cool kid

Tomorrow morning, two parents have to live every parent’s worst nightmare: They have to attend their child’s funeral. They’ve been robbed of seeing how his bright future would unfold. But they won’t stand alone. A community will be behind them. Every parent will be there in spirit, too. In a very dark moment, they will be cradled in absolute love.

I watched my sons get on the school bus this morning. They waved goodbye and texted me that they loved me. I cling to the assumption I will see them this afternoon. The older I get, the more I realize how naive that assumption is. There are no guarantees. There is only the moment we live in.

I thought about Walker Wilbanks as my boys rolled down the street. And I thought how my life should change. I will be more in that moment with my children. I will put the phone down and not worry about some menial task I have to do when I’m around them. I will listen to their stories and be there for them when they need me. I will love more and complain less. This weekend, I will see my own parents. I will hold onto them tightly, too.

Walker was a stranger to many of us. But his short life has been like a pebble hitting a still pond. The waves of compassion for him and his family have rippled out, changing this community we live in. Rivals are reaching across rivalries. Faith has been tested and strengthened. Parents are realizing that time with their children is a gift that should never be taken for granted.

A funeral is a dark moment. But the love that is radiating out of one pretty cool kid’s legacy has changed our hearts forever. And that is worthy of celebration.