Many times we become so obsessed with finding that "special" someone that we forget that there are many types of love. There is the love of a parent for a child; the love of a child for a parent; the love of grandparents; the love of brothers and sisters; the love of friends; even the love of a teacher for a student. It is this last kind of love that I want to talk with you about today.
I taught sixth graders for fifteen years. Through the years many students touched my life in a special way. They were the "rejects", the ones all the other teachers and the principal had given up on. The ones that no one thought were ever going to amount to anything. Truthfully, these students were my favorites.
Among my favorites, there was one that I will never forget as long as I live. His name was Jasper and if you looked in the dictionary under perpetual motion you would find his picture. As with most of my favorites, he had a hair trigger temper and some other serious emotional problems. But when Jasper smiled, he lit up the room. He had one of those smiles that expressed itself in his eyes, his body language, everywhere!
Jasper also had a wonderful, gentle way with small children. I can still see the primary children following him around at recess like the pied piper. They would listen to him too! He had trouble with his anger, but he could convince a crying second grader to calm down and do what the teacher asked them to do. He was truly a rescuer to me whenever it was necessary for me to correct a smaller child!
Jasper was also a Christian. He actually got baptized while he was one of my students. I always hated that I missed that service. I forget now what the reason was that I had to be at my own church that Sunday, but whatever the reason, I missed it. I missed the one moment that might have given me comfort now.
You see, in late July Jasper was stabbed to death in a senseless crime. Jasper was just eighteen with his whole life ahead of him. Now all that life, all that love, has been snuffed out.
I found out about his death while watching the late night news. My guess is that Jasper was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. He kind of had a knack for that even in sixth grade. No reason has ever been given for his sudden, violent death and to my knowledge, no one has ever been apprehended.
What I do know is that Jasper will be missed terribly by his brother and mother as well as one retired sixth grade teacher. I also know that the world will be a little less bright because that wonderful, all-over smile is gone forever. I look forward to seeing Jasper in heaven and this time when I see him, I will be sure to tell him just how much I loved him and how much he changed my life.
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