As people we are all multi-faceted.

I thought I would share just one facet of Christian from my perspective.

The good news in life is that we are not defined by the people or events in our lives unless we choose to let them define us. 

Sometimes this is a lesson we don’t learn easily or soon enough in life.

Our job doesn’t define us. Negativity toward us doesn’t define us. Money or lack of it doesn’t define us. Just as a major illnesses doesn’t define us.

Unless we allow them to.

We can choose to bring forward those things that WE choose to. Those things we want to incorporate into who we are… into our Character. 

For me…as I think of Christian, those things I choose to incorporate into who I am are Christian’s kindness, his ability to laugh and make fun of life… his creativity and his friendship. Neither he nor any of his humor brought anyone down and reminded me to NOT take things so seriously. 

I remember “the look” he would give me in scouts when he was caught whispering a funny comment to the other boys and not paying attention to the meeting. It was a unique look and slight turn of his head…Sort of half… “you caught me, I couldn’t help myself”… and half “smile with a twinkle in his eye.” Frankly, despite the slight disruption –  it was completely part of the fun of scouts, the camaraderie, and the chance to be with friends. I cannot image what scouting would have been without him.

I come from a family of art educators. I have been surrounded by creative people all my life…. So I know creatives. And, one particular evening after a scout meeting and after having heard Christian weave one creative tale after the other… I remarked to my son, “where does he get this stuff?” And then said “Christian is one of the most creative people I know.” The stories he would weave out of thin air were unique and pure Christian. I always encouraged him to capture these stories into a book to share.

In hindsight, I recognize that humor was Christians choice of armor against the negativity of the world. An armor that he perfected into a mighty force. To know him was to leave with a smile on your face while feeling better about yourself.

If we are lucky, we all have a Christian in our lives (no pun intended – Cheers to Christian on that one…). Someone that carries a bright light to reminds us… reminds us to NOT take ourselves too serious, to not sweat the small stuff, and to look at life in fresh new ways. 

From him we can learn to be kind and gentle when we should be and to be unrelentingly steadfast and full of grit when we must be.

The ripple effect of a life like Christians’ upon my own is profound even though it has been all too brief. 

My faith tells me that I… We… are guaranteed to reunite with Christian once again and that the time spent here is so so brief in comparison to what comes next. 

To that thought and in his honor, we owe it to ourselves to NOT rush things in this life. To NOT wish even one day to be shorter, but to live our time wisely and to its fullest. To fill it up with humor. To take every opportunity to look at things in new ways. And, to wring every drop of goodness, adventure and learning out of our time that we can. 

And when I’m up against the wall and the pressure is high… I’m going to remember the impish little smirk of a scout caught whispering a funny line in the ear of a mate with a twinkle in his eye… and “not sweat the small stuff.” 

Watch over us Christian and keep the campfire burning until we get there.