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A Legacy of Kindness It takes only an instant to end a life, whether it's an IED in Iraq, or a loose rock on a Colorado 14'er, or an icy road in Wyoming. John Parr, Sandy Widener, and their daughter were lost in one terrible, unforeseen moment on a frozen highway in Wyoming. Any one of us could die just as fast and just as unexpectedly. May we leave even a fraction of the legacy they left to Denver and Colorado. As I think about this tragedy and so many others like it, I'm reminded about the mindless bumper sticker I used to see too often, "s___ happens". That was soon followed by ones proclaiming that "blessings happen" or "kindness happens." With the Parr/Widener family, kindness was a way of life. That's what I think about as we approach a new year. An act of kindness can also take only a moment. And it's something each of us can do so easily. We can teach our children to stand up for a kid who's being bullied at school. We can stop to help a motorist whose car has broken down. We can write a note to a teacher or a nurse or our letter carrier to say "thank you". We can invite a lonely friend or acquaintance to dinner. We can comfort a crying child. One young friend of mine adopts a senior citizens' complex each Christmas. This year there were 180 seniors with no family members nearby to share the holiday with them. So, my friend organized her friends to provide gifts to the seniors who were alone on Christmas. Imagine how that brightened the seniors' day. We can't forget Daddy Bruce Randolph, who fed so many poor and homeless people on Thanksgiving, even though he had very limited resources of his own. Not only did he organize a huge and festive meal, but he also provided others the opportunity to give their time and money to make someone else's life happier, if just for a moment. He, too, left a legacy of kindness. No doubt his own life was enriched even more than the lives of those he helped. My son's college roommate, Joe, was diagnosed with leukemia a little over a year ago. Despite his severe illness, Joe worked to raise people's awareness of the life-saving value of donating bone marrow. He inspired my son and his best friend to trek the Continental Divide Trail last summer to raise money for his cause. Over the course of their 3000-mile journey, they raised $36,000, mostly in $30 to $60 increments from people who were touched by Joe's story. Joe was thrilled that his life offered the chance for others like him to live. He died of his disease 2 weeks after Jim and Jesse finished their hike. He was just 33 years old. But, Joe's kindness will help others give and patients like him live. These thoughtful, kind acts were brought about by participation and acceptance. In a world that is often too ready to rage or condemn or humiliate, we each can buck that trend with our own participation and thoughtfulness. When we see a problem, we can do what John Parr and Sandy Widener did, work with the interested parties to solve it. Rather than chastise or avoid those who think differently from us, we can do as they did, try to understand another point of view and find common ground. It doesn't have to be a big public policy issue we work to resolve. It can be a playground spat or neighborhood disagreement. The legacy the Parr/Widener family leaves is the willingness to participate, to do what is thoughtful and kind. As my heart aches for their family and friends, I am inspired by the very thought of them.
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