Life can often be very hard. Sometimes it is harder than we believe we can take. Then there are the times of absolute beauty and happiness. Every now and then we have the rare opportunity to see the two intertwine. This past week, I did.
The night of November 7 and the early morning hours of November 8 in the year 2020 is a night that so many in our community will never forget. It was the tragic night when three young lives left this world for a better place…far too soon for those that knew and loved them.
On a dark and lonely, unmarked curve out by Chili Flats, Katie Jo, Ashlin and Megan said goodbye to this earth and went on to a place free from all of the cares of this world. The events of that night left an indelible mark on their families, friends and a community. It is a day that I personally will never forget.
You might ask me, how could anything beautiful ever transpire out of such a horrible tragedy, and I would tell you that the pain of that night will always exist, but there are ways to see beauty in it.
The lives of those three young ladies have become an inspiration to others, and have brought about positive changes in the world that they once smiled in.
Through remembrances, events, pageants and even a softball tournament, the three young ladies continue to impact lives today. Young lives today benefit from the inspiration they left, earn college scholarships, and so much more.
Two recent events have stood out to me in particular as times of beauty and happiness. As the anniversary of that sad day draws close, I saw smiles instead of tears, knowing full well that one of the young ladies lost that night, was here.
In the days since that night in 2020, I have come to call Meg’s mom, Sarah Jackson, my friend. The two of us talk, share our grief, and offer a shoulder to cry on. She spends time out at Meg’s place at the cemetery, and I spend countless hours out on that curve. We share tears. And, we remember those three girls.
A couple of weeks ago, Megan’s twin sister Lauren had an amazingly beautiful wedding and married the man of her dreams, Klayton Kinney. There is no doubt that the presence of her twin sister was felt not only during the wedding, but in all the days of preparation leading up to wedding day.
Before, during and after that special day, I saw smiles. The joy on mom and daughter’s faces made me smile as I was so happy to see them step away from the grief, if even just for a little while. Lauren spoke of her sister. Her words brought tears to my eyes, but they were tears of joy. And I saw the smiles on her mama’s face and that brought a smile to mine.
God does have a way to allow us to be happy, even in the midst of a grief that will never go away.
Then this past week came another wedding. It was the wedding of two more young lives that I have known since they were little ones causing mischief. One of the happiest pictures I have ever seen was Ty on his high school graduation day, walking across the stage in the DeKalb gym, and taking a selfie.
Ty and Bailey also had a beautiful wedding. They, like Lauren and Klayton, celebrated a day of joy and laughter, smiles, and tears of joy. I am happy for all four of them.
Now, you can call me odd, but one of the things that stood out to me about Ty and Bailey’s wedding was the location. It was held at a little spot up on the Red River, at Chili Flats.
Over the years I have associated Chili Flats with a great fishing tournament and fun with friends. Then came November of 2020 and Chili Flats, and that curve just before you get there, became a place of utter sadness.
So, for me, seeing all the pictures from Ty and Bailey’s wedding at Chili Flats gave me the chance to see Chili Flats as a place of happiness. A place where friends gather to celebrate life.
I will still go out to that curve, and I will still sit and remember Meg, Katie Jo and Ashlin. But now, when I go, maybe I can look down that long, dusty road and remember the smiles too.
It’s a God thing.
