Caden is a special child, one destined never to grow old, though he lives in the hearts and minds of all his family. He is with me every time I sit down to write. He was the hero of my first book, and kept me working on it after he passed. His presence here in my office is as real as the desk I sit at every day.
His grandmother and I never met him. You see we thought we had time. Well in truth we thought Caden had time, we after all are getting old. Alas, God had other plans, plans we still don’t grasp.
His grandmother and I, never want to receive a call that that one again. I will never forget the look on Sandi’s face when the call came. No one should have to see that look. Pure devastation.
The fourteen-hour trip to Texas was the longest fourteen hours we have ever lived through.
As parents our job, even when we are on our own death beds is to fix things, make things better, to heal all wounds for our children. We fix things for them. But this wound, this wound is too big, too, deep, too soul crushing.
How can we as parents fix this when our souls are also crushed?
We grieve with his mom, and wish we could take all her pain. We pray that love replaces that pain. For he was loved and is loved and will be loved forever. There is peace in that love, and hope too.
Caden’s pictures were prominent in my cubical at work, more than few cried with me at my desk when the word spread that he had left us.
His picture is also prominent in our home. His smile and bright eyes looking back at us, reminding us that he lives on in a better place, a place of love beyond anything we understand. And a place where we know with certainty that we will meet him at long last.
For now, we mourn his passing every day and wonder that five years have come and gone.
Caden is my Muse, I can hear him saying “Grandpa, you can do that, or write this and inspire others.” Caden is inspiration for me, for Sandi, for his mom, for his dad.
We never met you Caden, not in the flesh, but we know you in spirit and feel your presences every day.
On this, your fifth birthday, blow out the candles and wish those still here, love and peace of mind.
Love, your Grandpa & Grandma.