I better have something to show, and too bad I don’t really. Thesis was put on hold for a family matter, I’ve done a lot of thinking over the past week about timing, responsibility, and well my late uncle.

One thing I found out this past weekend was that I did not know much about my Uncle, minus his never ending smile, big heart, and prank-pulling attitude. I only knew one side to him, but hearing the so many people speak about him it made me wish I had gotten to know him better, and to learn as much as I could of from him while he was still alive. I’ve had these thoughts recently about my late uncle Sammie. He served in WW2 and died a couple years ago, but here was a man who was alive during a time that was completely different.  I once spoke to him about his service when I was younger, but it was very limited and recently I had been thinking about what he could of taught me. And so with my inaction towards my Uncle, taking his presence for granted, we lost him in the blink of an eye. Seeing my aunt, watching her tears as she looked upon him for the first time since his departure, all I could think of was “this is what true love and pain is.” I don’t know if I am done mourning, but what he has taught me in his leaving is this. The correct path isn’t always the easy one, but do what you think is correct. Understand your responsibility and take it by the horns and do what you have to do. There isn’t enough time to fool around, so do what you have to. His childhood friend said this “John seemed stubborn and closed minded, but when we thought he was taking the hard path, he knew he was taking the right path.” A wonderful person he was and will ever be, down to earth and not concerned with frivolous things. My life is very different than his, but that doesn’t mean i cannot learn from his actions.

time is short, it sounds like what people always say after this, but its true. He passed within two days of having anything visibly wrong with him, not even enough time to figure out what the cause was.  But his determination was obvious, and now that he’s gone, the way he lived is what he leaves for me. I hope that I can be half the man he was.

I think my father put it best, but in Heaven, which is where he will end up , even though John wasn’t religious he’ll meet all these people, George Washington, Thomas Edison, Martin Luther King…and he will get one of them to pull his finger.

John Corey Miller

October 14, 1947-November 1, 2007

I’ve decided to dedicate my thesis to him. I never understood dedications, but I do now.