Remembering my brother Travis …

My brother Travis on the left ...

The 7th of July is always a time of reflection for me. Many of you may or may not know that when I was 15, my oldest brother, Travis died in a car accident. He was 17 and that event completely rocked my world. Our family (of nine: Mom & Dad and 7 kids) were on vacation in Wyoming and he died en route to doing what he LOVED most – fishing. I must admit that I cried for many years every night before bed trying to make sense of it all. And tonight as I was about to drift off to sleep I couldn’t help but think of him … He died 21 years ago today.

Looking back, I can see that his life and death have impacted my life more than just about anything else. At a very young age I learned the importance of living each day to its fullest. I learned that what we do matters. I learned that time and new days are a gift. I learned that saying goodbye is not easy. I learned that life goes on. I learned that time really does heal hearts and wounds. I learned that memories can carry us for a long time – as long as we cherish them. I learned that what we choose to do each moment eventually turns into a lifetime of moments. I learned that when you lose someone you love – it’s healthy to talk about them and remember them. And finally, I continue to learn that the missing never really goes away.

PS: I wrote this letter to Travis a few years ago. Warning, it’s a tear jerker …