I feel like it is far too soon to be writing about the death of another young man, but this is the world in which we live. Many in the aggie family already know, or will soon know about a senior Corps of Cadets Commander named Taylor Gillespie. He passed away in a car accident a few days ago on his way back to College Station. I first met Taylor the fall semester of my freshman year. We were in the same creative writing class which was made up of only around 20 kids. I didn't know him very well besides sitting next to him every Tuesday and Thursday for class. I was nervous about the class and about college in general, but our crazy teacher prompted me to make snarky remarks under my breath. The junior Corps guy I sat next to (Taylor) began to laugh at my comments and add a few of his own. We shared a mutual love of writing and dislike of our professor. He was always very kind and cheerful and I really enjoyed his writing. The fact that he was down to earth and nice enough to talk to a scared little freshman girl two days a week shows what a genuine guy he was. He even asked me to midnight yell of Halloween weekend. I couldn't go and part of me wishes I would have gone and maybe gotten to know him a little better. He was never embarrassed to read his poems or stories and he always seemed to have a great attitude. I know I can't pretend to be an expert on him and I probably can't truly call myself his friend, but news of his death touched me. As I've said not long ago, I know far too many who died too young. I don't have any deep thoughts about mortality or eternity at this moment, just a deep sadness that a young man who was kind, committed, and a true aggie was taken from this earth when his life was just about to begin.
I know that God has a plan and that he takes people away from this world for reasons that are his own. I cannot pretend to understand them, and I cannot say that it is wrong to mourn the death of those that are no longer with us. We must take comfort in the fact that nothing in this world happens by chance and that God does not make mistakes. As hard as that may be to swallow sometimes, it is comforting to know that instead of living in a world ruled by chaos and chance, we live cupped in the palms of an all-powerful God who knows all things.
Taylor Gillespie
R.I.P January 9, 2011
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