How He Made You Feel

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I had to take photos of my twin sons holding up words the other day.  It was for their class gift to their teachers that one of the other moms is putting together.  Each child was assigned a word as part of a special message.  One of my twin boys had the word "how" and one had the word "feel".  I snapped up the needed photos quickly and sent them on to the person awaiting them.

To be honest, I was terribly distracted when I took the two portraits.  My oldest son, our 17 year old, had just learned his friend ( a classmate and fellow football team mate), was about to lose his 4 month battle with Brain cancer.  And tragicly, he did just a few days later.  The boy, known by "Mammo" to many, passed away Sunday morning.  As one might imagine, my son is very sad.  I can't even imagine how this boy's parents and other family must feel right now.

And there are those words my younger sons held up , the words "how" and "feel".

The world is full of ironies, one person's very best day was likely someone else's darkest hour.  It's an unpredictable world I send my children out into everyday and yet I still do.  I as parent continue to encourage my children to put themselves out there and be open to a wide array of feelings and experiences.  I expose them to Happiness, Pride, and Affection.  I want them to FEEL.  I want them to touch the lives of others and be open to having their lives be touched as well. 
I know through my own experiences that the potential for rewards are worth risking the potential for heart breaks.  I know my son is going to be a much better man some day for having known this special boy "Mammo", many many people will be. I also know that my realizing this fact won't make my son feel better right now about losing this friend.  Now is when my son will feel things I wish he didn't have to feel like Sorrow and Grief.  Now is when my son will find himself and others asking questions, questions like how?  How did this happen?
I don't have the answer to how.  I don't really know HOW. 

The photos of my younger boys were combined with photos of their fellow classmates to spell out a quote by Buechner  "They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel."  The project turned out beautifully and I think a minor rewrite to that sentiment might be a means of comfort right now. 

You may forget what he said, but you will never forget how he made you feel.