Gone too soon

Today marks the third anniversary of the death of my brother Courtney. He was an exceptional man, brilliant, gifted, talented, a prolific writer, the family historian, musician, artist. He lived life to the fullest, loved the outdoors, and saw the beauty in all of God's creatures big and small. An avid fisherman, he spent much of his time on the water when he wasn't traveling with family.

Some of Courtney’s friends once wrote that he was an amazing man who could get us off a deserted island if we were shipwrecked. Or if he couldn’t he would figure out how to turn the coconuts into manna from heaven. And they were right. He could filet a fish with marked precision, skin a rabbit with a few swift strokes of a knife, shoot a gun to hit any target and make a weapon out of a tree branch. He also could launch a boat into the water with ease and as my cousin Regina reminded me (unlike his 3 sibs or numerous cousins) at 16 years of age could back my grandaddy’s Chevrolet truck with cattle trailer attached, down the drive way, under the clotheslines and into the corral with great skill.

He had an exceptional memory, unmatched vocabulary-and remarkable "phraselogy." Identified as gifted in elementary school, he was extremely humble about his abilities. It was his great fortune that my parents recognition of his gifts (my dad with natural writing and musical abilities and my mom--a trained pianist with a gifted ear) sought out teachers who could meet his needs--and acceleration to a predominately white school found him matched with a teacher who compacted, tiered his assignments, and matched lessons to meet his interests.

He was often much smarter than his teachers (actually he was smarter than most folks period) and until he found a teacher who was not intimidated by his knowledge (and skillful enough to reroute his corrections) was often in trouble for correcting them before children and adults. The fact that he was always right really didn't help matters.

As he matured, he became a most considerate person and learned how to be respectful of his abilities. Extremly sensitive he cared about people and the critical issues in his community-making a difference in his home town. His entire community was devastated when he passed away.

He once wrote "Everything good that I could be, is because of special people in my life, not all family. I've tried to pass good attributes along."

I like to think although he was one year and 9 months younger than me that the best things in me are a reflection of him. He was a remarkable man who I miss dearly, and like my dad, a soul the Lord called home too soon.