Reflections of John Norsworthy Jr

I wanted to relate a few thoughts I had on John as I reflected on our last visit before his untimely passing. I had not seen him in some time and when I saw him get out of his truck, I threw up my hands as if to say, " where have you been?" He was parked in the drive of a neighbor's house and he raised his arms up to the sky to mimic my gesture.

We had not spoken in some time, so our conversations of that day were ones of reflection. John has influenced us all in some way and we all have our own history with him.

I drove home from Manning on Saturday night alone with only the thoughts of John and the words that we spoke together just a short time before. I recalled the joy he expressed for Jordan. I watched him scurry off to his truck to gather the pictures he had brought to show everyone. He smiled at every photo as he showed them to me. He had one particular photo of Jordan that he paused with and asked me with a slight grin if I thought Jordan looked like him.

He spoke of his lovely wife with such pride. He talked about his love for her and devotion to her family. He told me that he had an opportunity to go to work in Mexico with his company but he never considered it because he could never leave his family for even a very short period of time.

We teased about arm wrestling in the kitchen when we were both much stronger, and younger. He made sure to point out how I wouldn't take him on after he was in high school. I never let him know that I stopped arm wresting him because I knew he would finally beat me.

We were outside on the lawn amongst all of the family that had gathered around and he looked to me and said aloud while pointing his finger at me, "take care of your father". At the time, I assumed he was talking about my father who was visiting from Arizona. His words didn't seem important until my quiet drive home. My heart tells me that he wasn't talking about my father Woody Killman; he was speaking to my soul about my father John Norsworthy Sr.

We were meandering about in the kitchen and I watched him place some of the photographs of Jordan on the refrigerator. He was adjusting them in just the right places at just the right angles. We were talking about nothing of consequence as the children and dogs gathered in and around us. As he was making his way to the back door, the last words he spoke to me were, "this too, shall pass"

We will all grieve for John. I will miss his wit, humor and his sincerity. I know that the last words he heard me say to him were recorded in his memory too. " Yes John, this too shall pass"

When I went to see John at his funeral iin Manning with my wife Kate, we entered the crowded room where the family and friends had gathered, I saw young Jordan in my mother's arms. As a reflex I held out my hands to him and I gathered him to me. I felt at that time John Jr. was looking through me into Jordan's eyes and soul. I felt alone with him in that crowded room and I paused to absorb the moment.

Shannon R Killman