Cholo

I heard a number last week that was interesting. 23,000. The number alone doesn’t mean much. Put it together with 14 hours. Is it still extraneous? Try this number. 3,000, combined with 4 years. That set may be more obvious in today’s world. Here’s another one. 6,000 in 3 to 4 hours. That you’ll never guess unless you witnessed it. I did last Sunday night, and though similar astounding numbers were in play today as well, there’s only one number on my mind after the events of the last 72 hours or so. The number is one. That’s it, just one.

You see, the first number, 23,000 is one I learned this week in a PBS documentary about the Civil War. It is the death toll at the battle of Antietam, a battle that lasted about 14 hours. The numbers 3,000 in 4 years is the approximate loss of American soldiers in Iraq, which pales in comparison. The last number is the number of people who passed through a reception line last night to spend 30 seconds to offer their condolences to a young man’s parents, whose son was killed in a tragic accident. The number one…the dead boy who had such an impact on so many people that they were willing to spend their Sunday evening, and their day Monday saying goodbye.

One young man, age 18. His life snuffed out when he was doing something he knew he shouldn’t do. In his short life his vibrant personality, the twinkle in his eye, his laughter, his willingness to reach out to one person at a time and treat them as best friends, created one unforgettable legacy. His death devastated his family, his school, his friends, and relatives. I’m one of the latter. I didn’t spend hours and days with him. I did recognize his goodness and ability to light up a room. He had that charisma that is magical and unexplainable.

In 24 hours the world will rotate 360 degrees. 6,000 lives will go on. One mother though is living with a heart as broken as his body. One father has emptiness so very deep it will never again be full. One sister lives on with memories of a younger brother she will not have standing in her wedding line (as if he would have stayed put anyway). One cousin will miss his best friend. One 2nd cousin who always admired him and who wished he had known him better, will miss him because he was a joy to watch as he worked his magic. This is one young man who won’t go to war, one young man who won’t be there to make the outcast his best friend, one young man who made a mistake and left us all wondering what should have been.

And though the 23,000 and the 3,000 each has their own story, this one is one story that I know. This one is sad and tragic. I’m sure the others are too. But there is One whom we can turn to, all 6 Billion of us. Each one of us can seek the comfort from this One who weeps with us at what could have been, but will now use the experience of this one young man to help us all become better at being one who can make a difference. You weren’t perfect I know, but thank you, Cholo for being one with Him who heals us and makes miracles happen. Your life, though needlessly cut short, was not in vain and your death has helped to turn at least one heart toward a better path.