Hi, my name is Carmen Smiley, and feel extremely lucky that I had
the pleasure of knowing and being touched by Hans. Lara has asked,
and I am humbled to, be a Guest on the blog and share the story with you of how
Hans’ Texas “family” decided to remember Hans on the anniversary of his
passing.
Firsts
Saturday, September 21st,
2013 came with mixed emotions. This marked the first full year of living here
on Earth without Hans. But, it also was the beginning of a tradition
where a group of people, who had been brought together because of their
love for Hans, got together once again in his honor to dedicate a walking path
to him (just steps from the old Sand Pebble Dr. House in The Woodlands, Texas)
and maintain it in his honor.
As we pondered various
ideas of how we could appropriately honor Hans on this anniversary, we always
came back to the question - what would have made Hans a happy boy? To name a few, we thought of a red brick
alongside many more at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion entrance, specially
engraved with a message honoring Hans, and we also thought of, and wondered how
we'd go about putting a permanent placement of an object in one of the
local pools or parks Hans used to happily frequent quite often.
But, the ideas didn’t seem
to be perfect enough. And, the word "Family" kept popping into
my mind. Hans so very much loved his family: Dad, Mom and big sis Elle (of
course, + all his animal friends). So, the idea of doing an activity of
Adopting-a-Path seemed so appropriate. In effect, each of us on Team Hans had
"adopted" our little buddy. Getting our group together and
picking up litter along the same path that Lara and Kev and Elle would stroll
him, would baby jog him (where he may
have tossed out a blue raspberry Jolly Rancher or Ring Pop candy wrapper, or
two, or three along his journey from time to time), would take walks on, and
where he'd ridden his bike, seemed so special to us.
So, we rallied the troops
and once again the love for this little guy warmed all of our hearts. We
gathered early, beginning at 8:00am, on the morning of September 21st. We enjoyed donuts and drinks, and visited as
we listened to Sam VanLaningham 's beautiful song called Hans Song, we rocked out to the
Big Time Rush album-Hans' fav., wrote chalk messages, held Optimus Prime balloons, sported
our Hans-gear, smiled, laughed, felt Hans’ presence, felt the spirit of those who loved Hans from
all over the world who couldn’t make it, felt somber, ate blue candy, signed a
guest book, took photographs, gazed at Marigolds, contributed money for
research we long to find a cure for, walked together, picked up trash together,
pulled wagons of trash/recyclables together, played on play-structures, swung on
swings, ran, walked, goofed around. But,
most importantly of all, we remembered our friend Hans and thought of his
family, The Weberlings, who are so dear to our hearts
and who will always have a special place in our lives.
So now our group has a
rallying point, a path, somewhere to gather, reflect, and give back. A
place where our love for this boy and his family can be put into action. You
all know that's what Hans would want us to do… He’d want us happy, having fun,
doing what we like. There is a passage that I thought was somehow fitting to
this story, for its obvious use of the theme of a path, but also for its
message about the things that happen along the way. On all of our paths we
encountered Hans, and on his path he encountered us and because of this,
we are all better for it.
_______________________________________
As you journey through life, choose your destinations
well, but do not hurry there. You will arrive soon enough. Wander
the back roads and forgotten paths, keeping your destination in your heart like
the fixed point of a compass. Seek out new voices, strange sights, and
ideas foreign to your own. Such things are riches for the soul. And
if, upon your arrival, you find that your destination is not exactly as you had
dreamed, do not be disappointed. Think of all you would have missed
but for the journey there, and know that the true worth of your travels lies
not in where you come to be at journey’s end, but in who you come to be along
the way. For life isn’t a destination—it’s a journey. We all come
upon unexpected curves and turning points, mountaintops and valleys.
Everything that happens to us shapes who we are becoming. And in the
adventure of each day, we discover the best in ourselves.
_______________________________________
I think Hansie might be looking down from
Heaven right now advising us to continue to do just what this passage
said. I know I’m glad Hans’ journey had us in it.
Thank you to everyone for
making this possible. And stayed tuned from me for future ‘pick up’
dates happening each quarter…and the journey will go on…..
LOVE and MISS you dearly Hans;
and love to you all,
Carmen
PS-If you are feeling moved, and would like to help by making
a monetary donation (big or small, as every penny helps), to The Children’s
Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation, please do so by visiting Hans’ park http://www.cncfparks.org/help-a-child/park/21/
Let’s make September not only just Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month, but
make it each and every day of the year!
