Jason Reed Was Laid to Rest Today

I went to the visitation yesterday at Wright and Ferguson Funeral Home in Jackson. It was heart-wrenching. I saw photos of Jason with his parents (His father died late last year.) and his siblings. They seemed so happy together.

Yet when I viewed his body, he looked totally different. Cancer had taken a toll on him. He had a knot on his head, which is where the chemo went thorough. He was nearly bald with blond tufts of hair on his head. I was in tears over his death. He had so much to live for. He was only 32 years old. I know he would have made an excellent husband and father. And as a CPA, he would have been a credit to the profession. He had a thirst for learning and always strove for excellence. Indeed, the very last time I would ever see him alive was at the Butler Snow O'Mara tax seminar on October 26, 2004. During one of the afternoon breaks, he and I talked. He told me he felt run down and he could not get out of bed in the morning. He was always sleepy and had no energy. A month later, I found out he had a very rare form of leukemia. He and I talked in early 2005. He said he had no plans to "check out" and was going to fight it. He did to the bitter end. To my bitter regret, I never spoke to him again.

His mother, brother, sister and fiancee' were there. His sister Jennifer held up quite well. But his mother and fiancee' were really shaken up. All I could do was express my regrets.

Today was his funeral at Southside Assembly of God. He was very active in his church and loved the people there. As I wrote before and I'll write this again: He not only talked the talk about living the Christian life, he walked the walk. Of all the words of tongue and pen, the saddest are "what might have been."

Farewell Jason. I'll miss you. Enter the joy of the Lord and rest in the Bosom of Jesus.