Astroblog: Jack would have been 21 Today

Sunday, January 28, 2018

Jack would have been 21 Today

This morning Facebook reminded me that it was Jacks Birthday today and I should send him good thoughts.

I didn't cry.

Jack would have been 21 today, the traditional Coming of Age made irrelevant by people being given adult rights and responsibilities at 18. Jack had embraced his adulthood vigorously, he couldn't wait to vote (learning to drive not so much). His 18th was an exuberant, lively affair, lots of friends, swimming and skylarking around in the backyard. SmallestOne remembers it most as someone put an empty beer bottle on top of the clothes hoist.

Today the backyard is quiet, no one is dive-bombing in the pool, or hanging out in the cabana listening to music or playing computer games. We had a small celebration with his friends for what would have been Jacks 20th last year, but this year the scorching temperatures and work commitments meant we didn't organise anything. The backyard is quiet.

There will be other parties, but different, quieter. MiddleOne and his friends aren't big on parties and then mostly LAN parties, definitely not swimming. SmallestOne is not into big parties too, and has a more intimate circle of friends.

The day after Australia day for us will no longer be a celebration, but a remembrance of a young man who celebrated life as he was finding his identity and voice in a larger world. He stumbled and fell at the threshold to that world, through a random, unfathomable act of nature, but we hold dear the memory of his journey, in the stillness of the back yard and silent pool.

You can find some of Jack's writing for Farrago here

http://farragomagazine.com/contributor/jack-musgrave/

Our friend Frankie shared a photo of Jack when we were at the Turramurra Music Camp in 2000, the highlight for us was Jack's nudie dance during the talent contest. He certainly didn't do things by halves.

Labels: home life