Learning about our children

I am so fortunate to have Casey's friends in my life. They recently came here to help us film segments for a video we hope to complete over the next several weeks that will focus on distracted driving. They were so sincere, eloquent, compassionate and all so beautiful in every way. They said so many nice things about how Casey had been a friend, had listened to them when they needed to be heard and that her death has caused them to think differently about life. They take life more seriously, try not to take the gift of life and health and youth for granted. I was thinking that I am learning so much about Casey and her relationships. I now know how much Casey affected other parent's children. All parents should be able to hear how important their children are to their children's friends. Absent a death it is not so likely to happen. I wonder what Casey would have said had I asked if I could sit down with her friends for a couple of hours without her just to have them tell me about Casey. She would have called me a creeper and said forget it dad-No way! If only we could learn about our children in life.