For my friends who may find themselves on a similar journey:

Reflecting on Caleb’s short life:

This is the most difficult thing that I do. It has been so long now. Memories are not as fresh and the emotion is sometimes just numbing. Grief is physical and there are natural hormonal defenses that protect us. This comes and goes. Sometimes we are in better shape than others. It is just like an athlete’s life where conditioning is everything. We all have our debilitating moments when our defenses are down; like mine today.

Is it sad that I sit here reflecting Caleb’s life and all I can speak about is grief? I think not. Everyone suffers from grief, just different levels of it. I have had people sympathize with me about grief. Believe me, it is awkward when someone says they lost their grandmother to cancer so they understand. I don’t get angry. This is just their way of trying to relate to my grief. The loss of their loved one may be the most extreme grief that they have ever experienced. I know what they are trying to say is, “I’m sorry for your loss. I wish I could ease your pain.”

Caleb taught me more in four short years than I can ever sum up in anything I write or articulate here. Besides humility, grace, family, love, and affection he taught me what is really important in life, Time. We only have a fixed amount of time here and we need to capitalize on making the world a better place rather than getting bogged down with the distractions of daily drama.

What I have learned?

This experience has caused me to see things a little bit different and in that, I see things that may help others. The first thing is that although there are intimidating circumstances that we face. I like to think that through my experience and loss I am an authority on what the loss of a child does to people. I have been there and witnessed many that I love dearly come unglued and all I can do is watch like a fatal roadside accident. If I can add a glimmer of hope to those people, I want them to know that there is no one that has “your experience,” you are the expert in your walk. This should empower you to trust your heart and make a difference. Knowing this, I think of my time and its value. We should overlook the fears and own the situation (there is no way around it, so embrace it). No one else’s time is more valuable than yours. We deserve a seat at the table of whomever we choose that may be relevant to our mission. If you were across the table from Bill Gates or President Obama, don’t you think that they may be able to learn just a little something about humanity from you? I do. Our experiences are humbling and if you are in front of people they will listen.

What do I have to offer other people?

I am now in a unique position that I see as a benefit, but it could also be a hindrance. I am guilty of adding to a dilemma. When Caleb passed, my wife and I had no clue what to do. We thought it was a good idea to start a legacy foundation to honor our son and help other families. I wish we had never done this. I wish there was a go-to organization, one that is all inclusive, rather than a member organization or a part time venture. If there had been such an organization leader when Caleb passed away, I would have subscribed to that entity to educate and guide me. I could find no such organization and instead, I was forced to figure it out and take on the world myself. Today, parents may be considering doing the same thing we did with a legacy foundation. I am here to say to them, wait a minute, take a breath, slow down. You may not need to do that. There are foundations just like mine that need other parents to get involved. Like us, many organizations need other parents’ help. Many organizations offer you an opportunity to shape their programs with your knowledge and blend it with what is important to them. We have legacy projects for other families within our own foundation and I challenge other organizations to offer the same kind of value. We are ahead of the curve with our experience and I hate to see future families have to struggle for years to figure out what we already know. In Caleb’s honor, I welcome them to join the fight in memory of their own child and stand with us.

What benefits can this community share with all the other legacy foundations? Simply put, strength. If we collaborate and consolidate our resources, we can overcome anything. Keep in mind the urgency of the situation. Children are dying everyday. People cry when they see malnourished babies in Africa and beaten dogs in cages? There is no reason why we can’t get the same attention and the pull of heartstrings like they do?

 Author: Rob Whan

Checkout the new website  http://www.calebscrusade.org/