Voices of the Children
A Legacy from my Brother
My world shattered to pieces on December 19 th 2004. My beloved sixteen-year-old brother, Matthew Jones was killed. Rivers of tears flowed all around us while silence filled the air. Streams of people arrived after the news was broken, gathering around my family and I, sharing, and giving us the true meaning of compassion from deep down inside.
Our family’s friends, relatives, and the community were truly the ones who helped glue the shattered pieces of my broken heart back together, although some of the pieces are gone forever. The pieces of my heart were brought together by compassion, very deep compassion. Before December 19 th I did not know what the true meaning and definition of compassion was, but I quickly learned.
Compassion was shown and expressed through many different ways. A heart felt hug helped my family and I as though for many people a hug wasn’t enough for them to express their compassion towards us. Many people fed us, rocked me to sleep, filled my arms with teddy bears, walked our dog, did our laundry, and did amazingly thoughtful things. Also, many explained to us that they would be with us every step of the way through this terrible journey.
To me, compassion is an unbelievably strong aspect of life. I have learned that it can be shown in many ways, some of which are physical ways, mental ways and through spirit. For an example, a few days after my brother’s death about a hundred kids and adults showed up in our front yard with candles honoring his spirit and letting the drips of wax drop as though they were the tears of grief. We still have the tears of candle wax on our sidewalk to this day and honor them everyday.
Life as we know it can quickly change our lives forever. The last eight months have been very hard and horrible but one thing I am grateful from this experience is that I was given the gift of compassion at the age of twelve. I truly believe that compassion was one of the many legacies my brother Matthew left for my family and me.