Andrew

Andrew
Photo Courtesy of Scott Kirk Photography

Monday, May 23, 2011

LIFE'S NOT THE BREATH YOU TAKE

But life's not the breath you take, the breathing in and out
That gets you through the day, ain't what it's all about
You just might miss the point trying to win the race
Life's not the breaths you take but the moments that take your breath away

I love almost every song George Strait sings; however, lately I seem to be living one particular song.  I am getting my breathe taken away in unexpected times and in unexpected ways. 
       I was working at school the other day, just sitting at my desk grading some papers.  Suddenly, on my computer screen was a picture of Andrew and his friend, Samura.  They were outside her home before they left for the Sadie Hawkins dance.  He came across so larger than life on that screen.  He was smiling.  His eyes were smiling.  He felt so real to me.  I literally lost my breathe for a moment.  Then I remembered that he was gone.  It took me a moment or two before I could move.  I suddenly lost all motivation for reading another paper.
       This afternoon I stopped by my sister-in-law's salon.  On the counter was this list of people.  It was a pretty wide list--three columns wide and a full page of names.  Suddenly I realized it was a list of all the people who had died in Columbia County during the past year--May 2010 to May 2011.  Towards the top of the page, in the first column, there he was. Andrew David Groom--16.  I literally froze for a moment and lost my breath, as if someone had kicked me in the stomach.  There it was in black and white. My son's name on a list of the dead of Columbia County.
       For the next two weeks, I think I will be breathing in and out, just getting through the day.   Life's not the breaths you take, but the moments that take your breath away. 
~Andrew's Mom

1 comment:

  1. Just breathe... the rest will fall into place...the one who has sustained you all year, will once again get you through the one year mark...somehow, you've done a year... one breathe at a time.. Love and hugs...

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