I remember helping create a logo and business card for Austin, loving the fact that he was so proud of the name he came up with and always excited when he'd call about another job he'd picked up. Almost a year after Austin's accident the irony of the name hit me... START TO FINISH....
Austin lived his life to the fullest.... START TO FINISH!!! I can truly say "I was blessed by Austin and his life, from START TO FINISH" (something a parent never wants to have to say, ever.) Austin's friends' lives were blessed.... People Austin had just met were blessed.... Even strangers were blessed.... START TO FINISH... by Austin's love of life and people.
With Austin's humor, I can see him smiling and chuckling about the irony of his business name. Who knew, when he came up with "START TO FINISH", how much it would truly apply to his life. I wasn't ready for him to be finished. I felt like he had just gotten started. But, the more I think about it, the more I wonder if maybe he isn't finished. I have watched how Austin's life has affected so many people, even after he's gone. His love of life has made many of us think about life in a different way, and in a way that we may never have, if Austin hadn't left us.
I have given a hard look at why Austin impacted so many people, without even realizing it. I have wondered what I could do so that I had the love of life like Austin had. As I have reflected on this I have noticed that it was not one large thing, but many little things which, when added together, become a beautiful gift to those around.
For the next few entries I will look at ways to live life to the fullest, mostly based on things I saw in Austin. I hope this helps both myself and others to look at life differently - to soak in the beauty, even in the storms, and to live life to the fullest... from START TO FINISH!
"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain."
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