Life's So Rad!

A Special Day

2011-12-14T19:06:00.002-05:00

Today is very special because it's a day when you have an opportunity to remember Jamin (JB). It was 5 years ago today, December 14, 2006, that Jamin died in a tragic car accident in Germany.

Each person who knew Jamin has special and unique memories of him. If I may, I'd urge you to step aside from the day-to-day hustle for a brief moment and recollect the memories you have. Enjoy a few smiles and happy thoughts. Did his life impact you in any way? Is there anything to be learned from his life that may make our lives and our world a bit better?

As with all human beings, he was certainly not perfect, but he was very special. If you'll indulge me, I'd like to put down a few of my remembrances. Perhaps they will help to reawaken your memories in one way or another --

I remember Jamin as one of the most nonjudgmental people (Sadly, not learned from me) I've ever known. He purposely resisted talking badly about others and he delighted in befriending anyone who crossed his path. I was always surprised by the wide variation in personalities, nationalities, and economic status of people who he considered to be his friends -- and he had many. He honestly cared about each person and they sensed this when they were around him. Next to his picture in my wallet I have a short poem that exemplifies Jamin's approach to friendship. It reads: "I went outside to find a friend, but could no find one there; I went outside to be a friend, and friends were everywhere!"

I was always amazed that in spite of Jamin's keen intellect (He scored a perfect Verbal SAT score and a near perfect Math score) and his many accomplishments and awards (D'Evelyn High School, Harvard, Air Force), he remained a genuinely humble person. I remember his exuberance for life, the way he packed each day to overflowing, and how he attacked problems with confidence and humor. His broad smile and enthusiasm seemed contagious. My remembrance of Jamin is that he had the ability to become enthused and animated over the mundane things of life - a meal, an object, a scene. He was wise beyond his years in the way that he listened to, and often accepted, my advice. Yet, he rightfully also questioned my thoughts or beliefs and reasoned his way to his own set of strongly held tenets. He loved to argue any point, but didn't seem to let it impact friendship. Most of all, I remember Jamin's unwavering honesty, which underpinned his character. He was never afraid to let others know where he stood.

You have your own thoughts and memories of Jamin. Enjoy them.

Perhaps the best way to close this note is to leave you with a couple choice thoughts that Jamin left behind. You've most likely heard them previously, but to help refresh your memory, here they are again --

"So it’s all hands on deck; let’s unfurl the sails and follow the sun to the horizon fully enjoying this adventure that is life."
The last entry in Jamin's hand written journal.

"Live. Be. Do. Act. Enjoy."
Contained on a single sheet, these were the hand written action verbs by which Jamin tried to live his life.

So ...... make the most of your day and enjoy it to the fullest; oh yeah, and let others know you care about them -- that's what Jamin did.

Warmest greetings,
Charlie

2009-08-07T19:21:00.001-05:00

The Jamin Fund: School Building at Pimbiniet from Parker Wilson on Vimeo.

A short documentary following the Wilson family and their trip to Kenya to help with the construction of a primary school for the Jamin Fund.

Memories of an Air Force friend

2008-03-08T15:11:00.003-05:00

I ... remember the wonderful person he was. From Lt. Wilson I learned many things, but the most important, I think, are Integrity and Happiness. Lt. Wilson didn't just talk about Integrity he personified it. About Happiness he taught me that one has a choice, to view life's challenges in a positive light or to mope about through ones existence. Because I had the opportunity to meet and work with Lt. Wilson, the way I view life has been irrevocably changed. There is not a day that goes by that I do not think about and remember Lt. Wilson. His spirit lives on because, I, and many others remember him and try to carry his spirit with us.

These remembrances were penned by Samantha "Sam" Adams, who served at Spangdahlem Air Force Base with Jamin.

Happy Birthday Jamin

2008-01-09T13:43:00.001-05:00

"Know ye herewith that the International Star Registry doth hereby re-designate star number Capricornus RA 20h 16m 54s D-25. 55' to the name Lt. Jamin Buchanan Wilson. Know ye further that this star will henceforth be known by this name."
These are the words we read Christmas morning, as the gift of this beautiful tribute was made from Brynna to us, to honor her oldest brother. And so when you look to the heavens, on a night when the sky is dark and the stars are bright, you might just be looking at a star named "Jamin".
We already have the hope of seeing our own Jamin again in Heaven...but for now it's fun to know we can see Jamin's star in the heavens!
"I say emphatically that anyone who listens to my message and believes in God who sent me has eternal life, and will never be damned for his sins, but has already passed out of death into life. ...Don't be so surprised! Indeed the time is coming when all the dead in their graves shall hear the voice of God's Son and shall rise again--those who have done good (through faith in Christ), to eternal life; and those who have continued in evil, to judgement." John 5:24, 28 & 29. (TLB)

WOW,I'M AT HARVARD!

2007-11-16T01:25:00.000-05:00

It was in late October, of '01 that we received the following e-mail from Jamin--a real classic. I had the opportunity to re-read it the other day, and thought I would share some excerpts...

"So, the past few weeks here have been "Wow, I'm at Harvard" weeks. I think it all began when I was sitting there in my Physics class, just listening or doodling or whatever I usually do, and my teacher was talking about the elemental forces in the universe (electromagnetic, nuclear weak, nuclear strong, and gravitational, if you were interested) and how many of them are caused by relationships between quarks (which are sub-particles of atoms). So I was kind of like, "hmm, that's cool." Then she started to tell us about the quarks, and it went something like this:

"There are three pairs of quarks.
Up, down.
Strange, charm.
Top, bottom.
I found this one..."
(as she points at Top quark)

So I was just sitting there, waiting for her to finish her sentence, because she has this habit of pausing in her sentences from time to time, as many of us do... You know, perhaps, "I found this one... particularly cool," or "I found this one... to be the most interesting," or something along those lines. But that was it. That was the end of the sentence. She found the top quark. Wow. I'm at Harvard.

Hmm, so since that wasn't enough, I went to see the installation of President Summers (the new president of Harvard) this past weekend. Oh man, did they have the yard decked out. Chairs, banners, stage, speakers, big tent over the stage... It was very cool. But then the ceremony started, and that was even better. The band played, and the choir sang, and the band played some more, and then all the important people started filing in. There were a lot of important people. And they came in with other, less important, people carrying little signs in front of them, so that everyone could tell who they were. My favorite part was seeing all the delegates that came from other universities all over the world, because they had these totally crazy outfits. Oh, but the very best part was when the President of Yale University got up to give a welcome on behalf of the delegates, and he told us this story about how all these other people from Yale who had spoken here had avoided conceding that Harvard was the better university. But the best part was when he admitted that we really were the best. I was like, Wow. I'm at Harvard.

Then I was sitting in the dining hall the other day, and I realized that I was eating fish for the second time in one day, and that I actually liked the stuff now. And it was sort of like, Wow, I'm at Harvard.

And then there was this other time I was sitting in the Dining Hall (it's a pretty great place to sit, you see), and I got to talking with the guy across from me about worker's wages, which turned into a discussion af absolute morality and the nature of truth and the possibility of the existence of truth and other such topics of light conversation, and I was thinking, Wow. I'm at Harvard.

Then, this other time, I went to a celebration for the 100th anniversary of one of the buildings in Adams House, and this guy told us about all the famous people who have lived here, like Franklin D. Roosevelt and such, and there were pastries and champagne and Earl Gray tea, and everyone was standing around socializing in the masters' house, which has been perfectly restored to its 17th Century style, and eating chocolate fondue and sipping their tea and listening to a trio playing classical music in the music room, and I was sort of thinking -- you know -- Wow. I'm at Harvard.

Oh, yes. Then there was this other time... I was sitting at my desk this past week, reading like mad and working on a problem set for one of my classes, which was after I had spent the previous weekend working on a briefing for ROTC, having just finished a paper for English, studying for an Economics test, trying to come up with some intelligent question to ask in my English section and a topic for the paper that I now have to write for my History and Literature tutorial, and being thankful that my TF had moved one of my problem sets' due date to next week because I knew that there was no way I could possibly finish it this week... and I fell asleep at my desk. No! Not that! Yes. That. Because, after all... Wow. I'm at Harvard."

I can hear Jamin perfectly as I read this...the way he talked really fast when he was excited. And I can't help but think about who he was, and what he was--brilliance, wrapped up in bright cotton candy. Not pink though-green.

Festing

2007-08-29T22:34:00.000-05:00

"Ooooooh maaaaan - you guys came at just the right time. Its the season of 'festing' over here in Germany! These Germans sure know how to throw a good party!"

But before there was any "festing" to be had, there was planning to be done. Day three had us all lounging in our pajamas for the better part of the morning trying to figure out what we were going to do with the remainder of our 7 days in Europe.

The travel books all came out and the old Internet search engine was fired up to look for hostels to stay in and cities to visit. Our plan was to leave the next day so we really only had a couple of hours to get everything in place. I started in on the computer while Jamin took the books and maps into the kitchen to spread out on the table. We narrowed down that Amsterdam and Bavaria (southern Germany) would be our two lands to conquer this time around. I was making pretty good headway on a few places to stay and so I went into the kitchen to report in to Jamin and get his stamp of approval. When I glanced in I saw a scene that was oh so familiar. There was Jamin sitting in his chair, head down in complete concentration - engrossed in his travel guide. He was reading it like a novel! He must have sensed me there because after a few seconds he looked up and started in with "Oh man Molly - did you know . . . " He had been caught deviating from his assigned task and he knew it but I guess he figured that if he could at least pass along some of the knowledge that he had just gained somehow it would cover up for the fact that he was reading about neither Amsterdam or Bavaria! It was just like him though - he couldn't pass up a good opportunity to absorb information no matter how trivial or pertinent to the task. Though frustrating to me at times I realized how well rounded he was because of occasions such as this.

By afternoon our plans were in place and we were headed down the road to the Maderscheid Bergenfest. This is probably a good opportunity to make note of Jamin's musical tastes as the ride to the festival was close to 45 minutes and Jamin's iPod was the one in action on the way there. The aforementioned "well roundedness" likewise applies here. Jamin could and did listen to practically every type of music. He especially latched on to techno music during his European travels and so as we drove through the quaint German countryside and villages there was all the time a modern dance party of sorts going on within his vehicle. It took a little getting used to but truthfully I think it was the only type of music that could keep up with his own energy level. I have been told as well that whenever Jamin traveled to a new country he would spend a good deal of time in the local music store picking up new songs and styles. He loved it all though!

As we approached the festival it became clear that parking was going to be an issue but Jamin knew exactly what to do - and so with his expertise in "festing" and a little bit of sheer luck we ended up with "the premier parking spots of all parking spots!" A walk down the hill towards the festival (held in an old medieval castle grounds) had us rolling with laughter before too long because as we approached the castle we heard a rustling in the woods above us and so we looked up to see three people in full medieval garb slipping and rolling down the forested hillside. It looked like a scene from Lord of the Rings. Jamin had forgotten to mention to us that if we dressed up in costume we would get a discounted entry fee.

Inside the festival Jamin was good enough to stay by our side as we fumbled our way through German food ordering. We spent the remainder of the evening just wandering around the castle, snapping photos, looking at the wares for sale and enjoying a good old fashioned jousting tournament. We stopped on our way back to the car to enjoy the fireworks display and then meandered our way back through the pitch black countryside (detours and all) to Jamin's apartment - "Dragostea din Tei" bouncing over the speakers.

A Perfect Host

2007-08-28T21:55:00.000-05:00

Day two of our trip proved just what a great host Jamin was. For anyone that has ever been hosted by Jamin, while in college or in the service, you will understand and appreciate the sacrifices (usually small and unnoticeable) that he went through to entertain his guests.

The day started with a tour of Jamin's base. I was truly clueless about military life and Jamin patiently weathered all of my questions about the base and his job. Jamin had just started a new job on the base before we arrived over there and I could tell that he was honestly so excited about what it was he was doing. I learned to stop asking detailed questions about the "work" side of Jamin back when he was in college because as hard as he tried to simplify whatever it was he was doing - it still never made sense to me. What always came across though was his enthusiasm. I think that the normal response from people when you ask them about work is "Its ok." But to Jamin it was always a positive statement, always an opportunity for growth, always a way to be helpful, always "great!"

After spending the morning at the base Jamin drove us 30 minutes down the road to the city of Trier (the oldest city in Germany). Since Jamin lived in the country, Trier was the closest thing Jamin had to a big city and even though he had been there numerous times before he still made the effort to get us excited about what we were going to see. Though a rainy afternoon we enjoyed a pleasant lunch at an outdoor cafe where Jamin made sure I had my first German bratwurst.

We wandered around the city for awhile when Jamin suggested we get ice cream "In the rain?" I questioned. We were definitely the only ones walking around the streets with raincoats on licking ice cream cones. Jamin was patient with Parker and I as we explored the beautiful buildings and took our time taking pictures.

On our way back to the car we passed by a shop that carried only real fruit juice gummies. Jamin couldn't pass up the opportunity and so we ended up spending 20 minutes picking out just the right shape, size and taste of gummies to purchase. Just one more example to me about how Jamin was inquisitive about any and every subject.

After a nap and dinner back at the apartment we headed back out to Trier to meet up with Jamin's friend Matt and enjoy a night on the town. I had given Jamin a shirt as a (very) late birthday present on our arrival in Germany and I was pleased to see that he wore it for me. He was pretty impressed with himself to be "so stylin'!"

Again not really an exceptional day in any way but a happy one at least spent in the presence of my brother.

A Happy Reunion

2007-08-24T17:07:00.000-05:00

A year ago today my younger brother Parker and I were on a plane headed across the Atlantic Ocean to spend 10 days with our big brother. I hope that you will not mind as over the coming days I recount what I remember from our experiences on that trip. I do not intend for this to read like a mandatory slide show of grandpa's photos but will concede that some of my memories of the trip are seemingly insignificant in the grand scheme of things. Ironically though it is these hundreds of "insignificant" moments over Jamin's lifetime that I have found myself grasping onto for dear life as the bigger, more "significant" moments of his life cease to be made.

Parks and I had just sat down on our connecting flight in Newark when I went to turn my phone off before departure. What I saw was the following text from Jamin: "I'm so stoked to see you guys!" - It was so "Jamin"! I smiled as I settled in for the flight thinking what a great brother was waiting for us on the other side of the big blue.

Once we made it through customs in Frankfurt we rolled our bags through a pair of double doors with greeting parties on the other side. I didn't even have to look for Jamin - my eyes went straight to him as he quickly rose from his seat in his bright yellow t-shirt and bounded towards us in a "not-quite-a-run" but "definitely-not-walking" manner. Its amazing how you can lose all sense of what is around you when you are excited to see someone. I'm sure we were blocking the doors but it didn't really matter. His hug was definitely one to remember!

On the way out of the airport I remember Jamin pointing out how smart the Germans are to indicate in their parking structures where the free spaces are by way of lighting indicators. (Oh how I had missed these stimulating topics). That thought seemed to spark a long conversation between Jamin and Parker on the 2 hour ride back to his apartment about how if the world could just have one big meeting (a simple idea in Jamin's opinion) about some of the best ideas from each country we would all be better off.

After dropping the bags off at Jamin's apartment we went for lunch at his favorite local eatery where we learned that Jamin could in fact add "German" to his conversational language list.

Back at the apartment we spent a good bit of the afternoon on Jamin's "great new" computer as he and Parker shared their love of old school music. Parker would pull up a song and in response came Jamin's exclamation "Oh man Parker - that's a good one!" as he tapped along with his index fingers on the desk (eyes closed of course) - if you knew Jamin you will appreciate this image. Somehow or another that evolved into taking silly pictures of ourselves on his photobooth application. It was a great time of just being together and re-familiarizing ourselves with Jamin's silly but ever-so-endearing mannerisms.

Parker eventually fell asleep and Jamin and I had the daunting task of prematurely waking him from his nap. He tried lines such as "Parker, man you've gotta wake up - there is so much awesomeness to be had " but they just weren't working. So, Jamin went off to make Hot Chocolate (the real kind with chocolate melted in milk) thinking that this clever motherly maneuver might just do the trick.

Both Jamin and I saw that it was clearly not going to be enough to simply wake Parker - we had to find a way to keep him awake so Jamin got the bright idea to go go-carting. Nothing like an adrenaline rush to beat Jet lag! A twenty minute drive turned into into a little over thirty minutes when Jamin got on the autobahn going the wrong direction and I had to giggle about some directionally challenged adventures in the past. As much as I loved to tease him about this one imperfection I admired his admission when we turned around eventually ended up exiting the autobahn two exits down from where we had originally entered; "Well - its good to know that could have been a much shorter trip if I had gone the right direction." Ha, ha . . . silly brother. The go-carts were of course the "fastest things ever!"

Back at the apartment we prepared for dinner. Jamin had it all planned out. In fact before we left the US I asked him if there was anything American that we could bring over for him. He had two requests 1) Extra - winterfresh "chewing gum" (as he called it) in the small 5 sticks per pack (because the 25 sticks per pack that they sold in Germany were too big to fit in his pocket) and 2) a mortar and pestle for "grinding things."

Jamin had been waiting and waiting to get a mortar and pestle so that he could try this new recipe. He had even driven 20 minutes to a specialty Asian food store to pick out all of the ingredients. I guess in the end it was worth it though because after an hour in the making it turned out to be "The tastiest meal ever!"

1 day enjoyed - 9 more to go!

The Tastiest Meal Ever!

2007-08-23T18:09:00.000-05:00

The following is recipe that Jamin, Parker and I made on our first night in Germany. I will always remember the joy of cooking it together, the precision with which Jamin measured and added ingredients and of course the exlcamation after the first bite that this had to be "The tastiest meal EVER!!"

Indian Chicken Curry

2 teaspoons each coriander seeds and cumin seeds

1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 lb (500 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/4 cup (1 1/2 oz/45 g) unsalted cashews
1 large yellow onion
2 small tomatoes
2 tablespoons clairified butter (page 112) or canola oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon seeded and minced green jalapeno chile
2 each bay leaves and star anise
1/2 cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) coconut milk
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro (fresh coriander)

Pouring over the cookbook

Toast and grind the corander and cumin seeds. In a bowl, stir together the toasted seeds, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and the turmeric, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and canola oil until well mixed. Cut the chicken into 1-inch (2.5-cm) cubes. Add to the bowl and stir to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

Toast the cashews and then chop coarsely. Set aside.

Thinly slice the onion. Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise and remove the seeds, then chop the flesh. In a saute pan over high heat, heat the claified butter. Add the onion and saute until it begins to soften, 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, chile, bay leaves, and star anise and contnue to saute until the onion is light golden brown, 5-7 minutes. Add the chicken and saute just until the meat turns opaque about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occaionally, until they soften, about 2 minutes.

Jamin's precision at work in the kitchen

Stir in the coconut milk and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the chicken is tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and simmer for 5 minutes longer.

Transfer to a warmed bowl, garnish with the cashews and cilantro, and serve.

Makes 4-6 servings

*Williams-Sonoma "Asian" Cookbook

Enjoy the Tastiest Meal Ever!! We sure did!

Fireworks

2007-07-05T20:31:00.000-05:00

In all of the discussions about 4th of July plans this last week I made a comment to one of my coworkers about how jaded we as adults tend to become to the spectacle of fireworks. Yes we will watch them year after year, "ooooo" and "ahhhhh" as we pick out our favorite variety
(mine being the "willow tree sparkler" as I like to call it), and go away saying "wasn't that a great show!" But for many of us I think that the wonder and awe is all but gone. Its the "you've seen one, you've seen 'em all" adage. I mean admit it - you've figured out how to anticipate the loud boom based on when you see the trail of light going up in the air. You've been spoiled by Disney's perfectly on tempo shows that any firework off the beat of the music is more a nuisance than a display of beauty. And of course knowing that the most impressive part of the fireworks show is always the grand finale - shooting off fireworks one by one is really just a clever way to be able to advertise the longest show in town right?

Sounds a little cynical I know but I'll admit that thoughts like this do creep into my mind on occasion. That is why I strongly believe that to fully enjoy the spectacle of fireworks you need to be in the company of a child . . . well at least that is in the company of someone who still thinks like a child. A person like Jamin for instance.

During my visit to Germany last year Parker and I had the great fortune to be alongside Jamin for two firework displays. Both were held in amazing settings - one over a castle in the mountains, the other over a castle along the river. Both shows were very well done and the scenery only added to the joy of the moment but I can remember thinking to myself "they were good but they weren't much different from American fireworks shows." Ha, ha . . . the thought makes me cringe now - I don't know what I was expecting. Jamin on the other hand, who by the way had seen fireworks shows in these very same locations the year prior and should have been more disillusioned than I, could not wait for them to begin. I dinstinctly remember standing beside him at the second of the two and laughing as with the explosion of each firework Jamin would jerk his head backwards as he uttered the word "Woah!" as if he had never seen anything like it before. The joy of the situation, though, was that the excitement was completely spontaneous. It was almost as if he couldn't help his reactions even if he tried, though I knew better based on an understanding of his both his superior maturity and self-control levels. His facination was completely authentic and personal. I honestly believe that even if Parker or I, or the thousands of other people were not on the bridge that night Jamin still would have taken it in with as much enthusiasm. That was his gift - continually finding joy in the small things - things that most adults gave up on years ago. The special thing about Jamin though is that when you were around him he shared that gift with you.

Later that evening a couple of his friends joined us for the remainder of the festival we were attending. Always the gentleman the first order of business was introductions but immediately following were these words "Oh man, you guys missed the best fireworks show EVER! I mean this thing seriously must have lasted like 30 minutes!" I have to laugh now as I think how Jamin was more disappointed for them that they missed out than they were themselves.

I don't know if that was his last fireworks show - it very possibly could have been I suppose. The good news is that it was the "best EVER!" though I have no doubt any subsequent shows would have been in close race for this title with Jamin's childlike wonder ever-present.

Heaven was needing a hero

2007-07-03T20:08:00.000-05:00

This is a song that I discovered shortly after Jamin's death by country singer/songwriter Jo Dee Messina. Although the song was originally written for a soldier that died in battle I can't help but conjure up images of Jamin each time I listen to it. Even though I know Jamin as someone truly unique and special I think the true value of this song is in realizing that it applies to so many others in our military. They truly are the best of the best. To think that some day we will be in the presence of so many sacrificial "heros" (including the ultimate hero - Jesus Christ) brings such a smile to my face. Oh what a day of rejoicing that will be! (But for now I will warn you that you may want to grab a tissue).

*The words are posted beneath the video if you have difficulty understanding them.

I came by today to see you
I had to let you know
If I knew the last time that I held you was the last time
I'd have held you and never let go

It's kept me awake nights, wondering
Lie in the dark, just asking why
I've always been told
You won't be called home
Until it's your time

I guess heaven was needing a hero
Somebody just like you
Brave enough to stand up
For what you believe
And follow it through
When I try to make it make sense in my mind
The only conclusion I come to
Is heaven was needing a hero
Like you

I remember the last time I saw you
You held your head up proud
I laughed inside
When I saw how you were standing out in the crowd
You're such a part of who I am
Now that part will just be void
No matter how much I need you now
Heaven needed you more

Cause heaven was needing a hero
Somebody just like you
Brave enough to stand up
For what you believe
And follow it through
When I try to make it make sense in my mind
The only conclusion I come to
Is heaven was needing a hero
Like you

Heaven was needing a hero
and that's you

2007-05-30T14:11:00.000-05:00

Thank you J.B. for your service to our country and oh, so much more. We love you!

A Permanent Memorial

2007-04-16T08:53:00.000-05:00

Colonel Kevin Bennett, J.B.'s commanding officer at Spangdahlem Air Force Base, recently wrote to tell us that a permanent memorial for Jamin had been set in place at the sight of his accident. Thanks to the efforts of the wonderful Air Force family, Jamin will always be remembered for his certain smile and his contributions to the base. The words "The Best Ever" were chosen because they were some of Jamin's favorite words. He used them often, and we all thought they were a perfect way to both remember and to describe him.
Special thanks to Colonel Bennett for leading this effort, to Hannah Harris for choosing the monument, and for all those who contributed time and finances to remember Jamin in this way. He would have been humbled and amazed! I know we are. -BW

In His Own Words - Life's Little Instructions For Relationships

2007-04-04T23:02:00.000-05:00

One of the most incredible character traits that Jamin possessed was that of self-improvement. He was continually looking for ways to be a better person than the already much loved person that he was.

I have always been amazed (and, yes, a little jealous) by the relationships that Jamin formed throughout his life with family, friends, girlfriends, and even simple acquaintances. He seemed to know and be known by some truly incredible people, seemingly without much effort on his part. However, I recently have come to realize that it wasn't out of coincidence. Jamin actively pursued relationships with people that he knew would challenge him - both by what they could teach him and by what he could teach them (which he saw as an equally important and often more rewarding challenge). It seemed that nice, intellectual, funny, wise, encouraging people flocked to him exponentially as the years went by. With each new year Jamin became a more likeable person - the kind of person that everyone enjoys being around (including myself). It was, however, only due to a great deal of risk, failure and determination on his part that a better understanding of relationships developed and was put into practice.

Case and point: Below is a list that we found in a notebook from his apartment written in his own handwriting and entitled "Life's Little Instructions For Relationships." Although I am sure that he picked up many of these ideas from other sources the fact that he remembered their advice well enough to include it as part of his own speaks enough for itself. I think that even if we all take only one or two of these to heart we will all be better people than we are today:

[Jamin's] Life's Little Instructions For Relationships

Marry only for love.
Keep several irons in the fire.
Be alert for opportunities to show praise and appreciation.
Don't make the same mistake twice.
Give people the benefit of the doubt.
Watch for big problems. They disguise big opportunities.
Don't insist on running someone else's life.
Don't rain on other people's parades.
Don't miss the magic of the moment by focusing on what's to come.
Look for opportunities to make people feel important.
Send your loved one flowers. Think of a reason later.
Don't be afraid to say, "I made a mistake."
Don't be afraid to say, "I'm sorry."
Never compromise your integrity.
Never underestimate the power of a kind word or deed.
Don't allow self-pity. The moment this emotion strikes, do something nice for someone less fortunate than you.
Be enthusiastic about the success of others.
When you and your wife have a disagreement, regardless of who's wrong, apologize. Say, "I'm sorry I upset you. Would you forgive me?" These are healing, magical words.
Stay out of night clubs.
Never give a love one a gift that suggests they need improvement.
Compliment even small improvements.
Understand that happiness is not based on possessions, power, or prestige, but on relationships with people you love and respect.
Save an evening a week for just you and your wife.
Take charge of your attitude. Don't let someone else choose it for you.
Every day look for some small way to improve your marriage.
Be there when people need you.
To explain a romantic break-up, simply say, "it was all my fault."
Never waste an opportunity to tell someone you love them.
Never walk out on a quarrel with your wife.
Instead of using the words, "if only," try substituting the words, "next time."
Instead of using the word "problem," try substituting the word "opportunity."
Ever so often push your luck.
Live your life as an exclamation, not an explanation.
Learn to disagree without being disagreeable.
Hear both sides before judging.
Refrain from envy. It's the source of much unhappiness.
Never underestimate the power of love.
Never underestimate the power of forgiveness.
Remember that a successful marriage depends on two things: (1) Finding the right person and (2) Being the right person.
See problems as opportunities for growth and self-mastery
Accept pain and disappointment as part of life.
Practice empathy. Try to see things from other people's points of view.
Get and stay in shape.
Never underestimate your power to change yourself.
never overestimate your power to change others.
Not matter how dire the situation, keep your cool.
When facing a difficult task, act as though it is impossible to fail. if you're going after Moby Dick, take along tartar sauce.
Don't whine.
Every day show your family how much you love them with your words, with your touch, and with your thoughtfulness.
Learn to show cheerfulness, even when you don't feel like it.
Learn to show enthusiasm, even when you don't feel like it.
Take good care of those you love.
Never cut what can be untied.
Be willing to lose a battle in order to win the war.
See out the good in people.
When someone hugs you, let them be the first to let go.
Have impeccable manners.
Think twice before burdening a friend with a secret.
Never tell anyone they loo tired or depressed.
Swing for the fence.
Don't be called out on strikes. Go down swinging.
Don't forget, a person's greatest emotional need is to feel appreciated.
Be romantic.
never take action when you're angry.
Be your wife's best friend.
Be kinder than necessary.
Choose your life's mate carefully. From this one decision will come ninety percent of all your happiness or misery.
Slow dance.
In business and in family relationships, remember that the most important thing is trust.
Never forget your anniversary.
Admit your mistakes.
make the best of bad situations.
Surprise loved ones with little unexpected gifts.
Stop blaming others. Take responsibility for every area of your life.
never give up on anybody. Miracles happen every day.
Make new friends but cherish the old ones.
Be forgiving of yourself and others.
Look people in the eye.
Say "thank you" a lot.
Say "please" a lot.
Learn to play a musical instrument.
Watch a sunrise a least once a year.
Remember other people's birthdays.

Will others say the same of us?

2007-04-02T21:56:00.000-05:00

The Wilson Family will always be thankful for the positive way in which J.B. impacted so many people. Many have related how their lives were changed by the example he set in the life he lived. Following are a few assorted comments out of the hundreds that were sent to the Wilson Family following Jamin’s death:

“J.B.’s manifest delight in life, I think changed the way many people approached their lives.”

“He had a positive outlook about everything. I can’t remember a single bit of negative emotion coming out of Jamin.”

“It is, I think, a not insignificant consolation that all who knew J.B. were enriched by it.”

“He was devoted and open to forming friendships.”

“His wide smile was a guaranteed bright spot in my day.”

“He was, and is, an inspiration to his friends to live fully and to make brighter the lives of people we encounter.”

“He consistently demonstrated his heart for the less fortunate, an amazing work ethic, sense of humor, & calmness in tense moments.”

“He was a brilliant young man who poured out his life to care for the people around him. He was a man who embodied peace and joy, and it radiated from him to his last breath.”

“Through it all, his starting point was integrity and sincerity, and it impacted all of our lives. He was a model of consistency and compassion.”

“…it is very hard to lose him when in fact, the world needs so many more like him.”

“He was one of the most 'adult' people I knew in my time at Harvard, and it made me feel safer to know that he was one of the people protecting our country.”

“…take some comfort in knowing how much we value the positive impact his life had upon ours.”

“Jamin was the consummate optimist, able to find silver linings in the profound and the ordinary.”

“He was an exceptional person in a culture full of them … scholar, athlete, linguist, technician, winner, patriot, and upstanding forward-thinking individual. Please always be proud of him, I assure you that we are.”

“The way Jamin lived his life is the way life should be lived. He made the most of every moment he had, and brought others along for the ride.”

‘He always did the right thing, no matter what the crowd was doing. His morals never wavered. Jamin could always be relied upon to be the voice of reason amongst our friends. I have met very few people in my life who I’ve wanted to emulate more.”

“Since working with Lt. Wilson, when faced with a choice, I ask myself what he would have done.”

“Lt. Wilson did not just follow the core values of the Air Force. He embodied them. ‘Integrity first, Service before self, and Excellence in all we do’.”

“… he always drove me to be a better person. There was goodness about J.B. that contagiously emanated from him.”

“I remember J.B. as one of the most truly sincere, congenial and caring people I have known.”

“He is not the first colleague I’ve had to say a final good- bye to, but he was undoubtedly the best.”

A Helping Hand

2007-04-02T18:56:00.000-05:00

Submitted by Jamin's Aunt Cindy:

One summer our two oldest sons, Sam and Dean, ages 14 and 11, got the notion to build a bunker on the top of the hill on our ranch. Each morning they would trudge up the hill with their picks and shovels to work on what was going to be the “coolest fort ever”. Well, Colorado’s summers are hot and dry, and it was slow going digging down in that rocky, hard soil, but finally after several days they had managed to dig a hole large enough for both of them to fit into. At our weekly Sunday family lunch at Grandmother’s my sons told their cousins about the fort they had been working on, J.B.’s ears perked up, and he enthusiastically volunteered to come out and help them with their project. The boys were absolutely thrilled to think that their oldest cousin who had graduated from high school was going to lend a hand. I tried to temper their enthusiasm knowing that young men his age often made promises with good intentions, but often didn’t follow through. Shame on me, for doubting J.B.’s good intentions! True to his word, as soon a he could, J.B. set aside a day and arranged to drive out to the ranch. What great excitement there was when his chartreuse VW bug pulled up at our back door! In J.B. style, he arrived early, prepared with his own shovel. There was no dallying; J.B. had come to work and work they did! All day in that hot summer sun! Toward late afternoon I decided to hike up the hill with our four year old son to see if they had been able to make much progress. When we made it to the top I was absolutely dumbfounded by what we saw! They had managed to dig a cavern large enough to fit a car into! All three faces were beaming, mission accomplished, thanks to J.B.!

He had the ability to sleep anywhere!

2007-03-31T15:21:00.000-05:00

This post doesn't really have much depth other than to just remember something silly about Jamin: he had the ability to sleep anywhere! (something I think many of us wish we had).

Jamin saw sleeping as "a waste of time" (in his own words). To him there were so many other great things to do and experience in life that time sleeping really cut into. So, as a result Jamin required less and less sleep as the years went on. It was not uncommon for him to get four or less hours of sleep in a night which is why it is so ironic that the night before his death he supposedly got a full and healthy eight hours of rest.

That being said, Jamin was not necessarily wide awake all of the time. He had so much energy that it is a wonder he didn't fall asleep every two hours from over exertion of his mind, body, or enthusiastic spirit.

Many of his friends will tell you though that they would often find Jamin asleep at the strangest times, most uncomfortable positions, or in the funniest locations. It was like when his body did require him to sleep there was no turning back. Wherever he was, was the perfect location for a cat nap in his mind.

I remember on one occasion having a lengthy conversation and demonstration from him on the perfect sleeping position on an airplane (what I think most people consider to be the epitome of discomfort). At 6'1" he had more trouble than many people fitting into that small space but I was always amazed when traveling with him at how he could sit down and be asleep within minutes without even waiting for the plane to take off and the seat in its "full, upright, and locked position." He said the secret was to remove all carry on luggage from the space beneath your feet and stretch them out as far as the could go, cross your arms at your chest, tuck your chin down, close your eyes and that was it. Well I tried this position a few times and it did no such magic for me but I'm glad it worked for him because it was probably some of the only good rest he got sometimes.

A second story to recount is the time that we as a family spent time in Europe following Jamin's graduation from High School. We traveled around the continent as a family in a mini-van and whenever we were on a stretch of road for longer than 30 minutes we would turn around and see Jamin asleep in the back seat. We joked that he was probably just catching up from 4 years of not sleeping all through High School (with everything he volunteered for and was involved in). But I felt so bad for him that he missed out on half of Europe because of that. I'm thankful that he had the opportunity to go back and enjoy it for himself later. On our last day in Europe we all boarded the train to go to the airport. It couldn't have been more than a 30 minute ride this time but when we arrived there, five of us piled out with all of our luggage and were turning around to walk into the airport when I realized that we were down a man. I rushed back onto the train to find Jamin sound asleep in his plastic seat, woke him up and with the speed of a cheetah he was to his feet and in two giant bounds off the train just as the doors shut. Ha, ha . . . just one of those moments that will always stick out in my mind. Who knows where in France he would have ended up if we hadn't woken him up in time. The only positive is that he was the only one in our family who could have communicated well enough to find his way back.

Anyway . . . like I said - not much depth, but just something I will always remember about my brother.

Does anyone else have a funny memory of catching him asleep when he shouldn't have been?

Jamin - "Right Hand of God"

2007-03-19T19:59:00.000-05:00

Over the years many have commented about or questioned the origin of Jamin's unique name. The following is an excerpt from a letter which my parents wrote to Harvard on behalf of Jamin before entering his freshman year describing just how and why the name was chosen:

It is a delight for us to write to you of our son, Jamin Buchanan Wilson. We say this because we are always pleased when we have the opportunity to introduce this extraordinary young man.

His given name is Jamin, which is a Biblical name* meaning "right hand" or "right hand of God." He was given this name at birth because we hoped he would be a great help to us, others, and for God here on this earth. As you get to know him I believe you will realize the name may be prophetic. The middle name "Buchanan" is also significant because he is descended on his paternal grandmother's side from meek, God-fearing, honest farmers who have tilled the ground since land was first settled in the mid-west. 'Wilson" ties him to a family of bright, industrious people who have most often been involved in business. All of this is to say that Jamin has a rich heritage and calling. Now that you know the significance of his name, which is very important, let us tell you that for convenience and ease he is most often referred to as "J.B." by his family and friends.

*Genesis 46:10, Exodus 6:15, Numbers 26:12, 1 Chronicles 2:27, 1 Chronicles 4:24, Nehemiah 8:7

See also "A Dad's Eulogy"

A College Pad To Be Proud Of

2007-03-16T15:00:00.000-05:00

Our senior year of college, J.B. and I were lucky enough to get an awesome dorm room at Harvard. It was a large two-bedroom, with a great living room to share. Now, it wasn't enough for J.B. to just rest on the laurels of the room, add some furniture and posters, and leave it at that. He wanted to add more flare, make it more unique. And so what would we add? In our living room, there was an open closet, that, with a little imagination, would make a great pantry and bar for two over 21-ers. But J.B. wasn't going to stop there - he decided that he was going to paint the whole area to make it more appealing. He undertook the project with gusto, collecting paint samples, calling and asking people for advice and just how it should be completed, and getting the appropriate tools for the day. And when it was done, it definitely added so much to room and made it complete. We would always get countless compliments on how well setup our "pad" was, and I could never help but smile thinking of J.B.'s creativity and enthusiasm in making it the best place it could be. That was just one of his many signature traits that I will always admire.

Jamin's High School Graduation speech

2007-03-07T09:56:00.000-05:00

I remember well the day. Jamin came home from his graduation rehearsal in May of 1999 feeling a bit dejected. He was to be a speaker at the ceremony, because of his role as Class VP, I believe. I know he was not the valedictorian or salutitorian...it was a class FULL of VERY BRIGHT students, you see.

Anyway, at rehearsal, the speeches were practiced, and to Jamin, it was very clear that they were all too similar in content. Only the second class to graduate from this new high school, their collective list of achievements was pretty amazing, and all of the student speakers had mentioned those accomplishments. He could not seem to get it off his mind. We talked it over, and I mentioned that instead of looking back, maybe he could look ahead to what might happen in the future. He also thought it would be more interesting to tell his personal story. And so he decided to completely re-write his speech, and stayed up all night, the night before graduation, doing it.

I have condensed a few portions, but the large part of the speech is this:

D'Evelyn High School Graduation, Class of 1999

"I ... cannot even begin to describe what the past several years have truly meant. The only thing I could perhaps give you is this:

It's the story of a boy, who, upon completion of the sixth grade was forced by his parents to attend a school different from that which all his friends were attending. A boy who was initially so upset that he desired only to be expelled so that he could join his friends. But with some others' help, he mangaed to make it through that first year. Particularly the help of a principal who was such an amazing person that he no longer wished to be expelled.

It's the story of a 7th grade geography teacher who taught him to go beyond merely that required of him. The story of a 7th grade math teacher who helped him when he didn't understand how negative five was the exact same thing as minus five. An 8th grade physical science teacher who showed him that science could indeed be exciting and who gave him some of the best life advice he ever recieved. A 9th grade band teacher who showed kindness to an obnoxious trumpet player and who, as a 12th grade choir teacher, taught a slightly less obnoxious, but equally unskilled, bass to enjoy singing. A 9th grade teacher who sparked an interest in English that had never before existed. A 10th grade Forensics teacher who challenged his beliefs and taught him to argue them logically. An 11th grade physics teacher who made science not only exciting, but intriguing as well, and continued to provide unrivaled advice and example. An 11th grade history teacher who made our country's proud history come alive, and who, the following year, made that levithian we call our government a little less daunting. Twelfth grade AP French and English teachers who, in addition to finally convincing the boy that the study of language and literature is important, taught him an invaluable lesson: that learning is not really about how perfect a repository of knowledge or distributor thereof a teacher is, but that it is much more about how earnestly one pursues the knowledge.

It's the story of some unbelievable people he met along the way who took him as a friend, and taught him to live, to laugh, and to love. Who taught him to enjoy a spring day and to appreciate music. Who provided examples of excellence in character and personality, traits which he could learn from. Who, as Proverbs 27:17 says, sharpened each other "as iron sharpens iron".

It's the story of a man sure enough of his convictions to push for legislation allowing choice schools. Of a group of parents and teachers with the vision for a high school grounded in the liberal arts and seeking the best from each of its students. Of a faculty and administration which has carried on that goal.

Of a place called D'EVELYN.

________________________

As a young child, I once read, and was immediately infatuated with the idea that limestone could, by intense heat and pressure be transformed into marble. Marble! Like the beautiful white marble with which I dreamed of building a brilliant new city.

________________________

Certainly, I don't expect this story to be interesting as a singularity, for it is not. The story is our story, in one way or another. Indeed, each of us has been affected in a different way, and to different degree, by this place--this IDEAL--called D'Evelyn.

It has been a refining fire for every single one of us, and ask anyone up here today--there was certainly a great deal of pressure. And while we are not going to be transformed into marble anytime soon, we have been and will continue to be transformed into better people through what we learned and experienced at D'Evelyn.

You have heard or will hear, I am sure, about the number of "firsts" our class can claim as its own: first perfect SAT score, first AP scolars, and many more. But what about the "firsts" yet to come? Just like the marble blocks with which I dreamt of building the ideal city, each of us has the opportunity to build the society we will now realize to a fuller extent. Who among us will be the first from D'Evelyn to win a Nobel or Pullitzer Prize? Who will be the first to land on Mars or the first Speaker of the House? Who will be the first to exchange his blood in battle for our freedom?

The years spent at D'Evelyn have been, for my classmates and me, absolutely wonderful. If I may, I exhort each one here to strive for that excellence which D'Evelyn has taught us to pursue. Demand it of the classes and siblings to follow in the same way you have of us. Let it be exemplified in your lives as well as ours, for the world to see. Let us never stop seeking it, for as Publius Syrius said, "It takes a long time to bring excellence to maturity".

There. That is enough. I hope I have conveyed some small understanding of what it means to be a D'Evelyn Graduate and of the gratitude we have for the parents and teachers who have made this day possible. Thank you."
-speech by Jamin Buchanan Wilson

I might add that J.B. got in a little trouble afterward for giving a speech that had not been pre-approved. In his longing to give a more meaningful message, he had completely forgotten about that process. And it goes without saying, that he also was up all night after graduation!

...so true!

2007-02-28T10:21:00.000-05:00

I walked a mile with Pleasure,

She chattered all the way;
But left me none the wiser
For all she had to say.

I walked a mile with Sorrow,
And ne'er a word said she;
But oh, the things I learned from her
When sorrow walked with me.

-Robert Browning Hamilton

The Jamin I Loved - Part I

2007-02-19T22:31:00.001-05:00

Below are some pictures (all taken within the last four years) of some fun moments with Jamin that were captured by camera. I am so thankful for these images now because his crazy faces and exuberance for practically anything will always make me smile.

Ha, ha . . . I don't even know how to explain this picture. The only thing that can make it more funny is knowing that this was taken in the "middle of nowhere" Wyoming.

"Life's Little Book of Instructions" a gift via a matching plaid dad was obviously something that Jamin got a little bit more excited about than the rest of us.

Jamin scanning the "wild blue yonder" - always one to look forward and never back

One of my all time favorites! Jamin, while waterskiing discovered that the string holding his swimsuit up had broken and consequently had to let go of the line and climb back in the boat with one hand holding up his swimming trunks. All of us on shore wondered what was going on. When the boat pulled back up to the dock Jamin stepped out on the dock looking like this . . . . with a giant piece of yellow rope now tied around his waist. He was pretty proud of his ingenuity in a "crisis situation" as he called it, and gladly modeled it for me to take this shot.

Adams House Blocking Group

2007-02-19T22:31:00.000-05:00

The following was submitted by Sara Lewis, a friend and fellow Adams house mate during his time at Harvard:

I was part of J.B.'s blocking group at Harvard, I knew him only very little when we decided to block as part of one big group with all the folks from Gray's and me and my one roommate from Canaday (a dorm across the yard). From the second I met J.B. I thought he was one of the nicest, easiest people to get to know, and while I may have been nervous I would get along with some of the other people I had faith that J.B. would be probably the most accepting person in the blocking group. As the years went on and we lived in Adams together, I had a meal with J.B. here and there and always enjoyed his company, and he occasionally challenged my beliefs, because he was so strong and sure in his, and I always appreciated the fact he made me think about exactly what I stood for. To me J.B. was always one of the kindest, most confident and modest persons I have met in my life, and I am honored he was a part of it.

I have trouble imagining a world without J.B., he was an incredible person.

JBs Yogurt

2007-02-19T16:56:00.000-05:00

I know its not a shock for many of you to hear that J.B. was a perfectionist. But it may be a shock that J.B. even brought perfection to the table during meals. See whenever we had a meal that included yogurt it was always an experience. It was usually at breakfast when we saw this magnificent feat of perfection. J.B. would grab a bottle of yogurt and would scoot his chair back a little bit from the table. He would then take a deep breath and shake the yogurt vigorously in his hand off to the side of his chair. He would continue shaking it until he was either tired or felt it had been shaken sufficiently. To me it seemed like it was an excess amount when he would shake it that much because I could shake it one or twice and it would be fine. He just had to have it the "perfect consistency" as he would put it. At times it would be very annoying to us especially me in the mornings since I am not much of a morning person some days. My parents would often ask him to stop but it ended up making us all laugh because the way he did it was hilarious. I can still picture him doing that and now as a joke I do it sometimes just to remind myself and my family about how funny he was when it came to his perfectionism.

Outstanding Sir!

2007-02-11T14:14:00.000-05:00

The following was submitted to us by Carlos Pinedo, 2Lt, USAF who was a fellow ROTC cadet at MIT during Jamin's years in college:

J.B. was an "outstanding" person. Now when I say "outstanding," I don't just mean because of all the excellent things he did, but also because he said "outstanding" a lot.

At MIT, ROTC class always started around 6am on Monday mornings. Now out in the real world that's pretty early, but for college students that is an ungodly hour! To begin, the commanding officers would have us stand at attention for morning inspection. While passing down the line they would usually ask you how you were doing. The expected response "outstanding" was usually delivered more as a grumble than exclamation by most of the cadets. But no one, especially myself, felt outstanding that early on a Monday morning. However to our dismay, envy, etc., whenever the inspector got to J.B. you always knew because out of no where you would hear "OUTSTANDING! SIR!" I bring this up not showcase how lazy and unmotivated I or the rest of the squadron was in ROTC, as most of my friends can attest, but rather to show the dedication and joy that J.B. had for ROTC, the military, and anything else that challenged him in the least. He loved getting dirty, dropping and doing push ups, and was always getting yelled at for having a that smile of his spread across his face.

here was also another thing that J.B. did that I always admired. Even though I went to MIT and he Harvard, we would still run into each other all the time during ROTC, after class, or on weekends. When we did meet, J.B. never gave a simple hello, what's up, or the proverbial head nod. He would not only stop to greet you but would say your name, "Carlos, hey man, how's it going" Just that small thing of saying one's name, of acknowledging who they are, was so amazing. He did it because he genuinely cared about how things were going and genuinely cared for people.

All this comes back to two things. While in college I was expanding upon my own spirituality and learning what it means to be a Christian. From the gospels I learned two important things from the life of Jesus Christ. One was his great love for all, the other his willingness to serve. That's what J.B. did all the time. He loved everyone, and was always willing to help you out, or cheer you up. He never stopped showing that he cared. His also always carried with him a willingness to serve; his friends, family, or this country.

I have tried and failed many times to live up to Christ's example. But J.B. got closer to Christ's character than any other person I have known, closer than any of us could aspire to. We're gonna miss you J.B.!

Chef Jamin

2007-02-04T22:17:00.000-05:00

Jamin couldn't have been more than 7 years old and I around 5. Everyone else in the house was asleep but somehow the two of us were up before the sun even was. I remember looking out of the doors in our dining room at the time and being so excited about what we were about to do.

The first step was the cardboard table . . . we set it up in the corner of the dining room with two chairs behind it. Then J.B. began unfolding his plan, directing me every step of the way. We emptied the cupboards of every breakfast food you could imagine. We had about 8 boxes of cereal out on the table, every kind of tea you could imagine, a gallon of milk, and probably even some foods that you wouldn't normally eat for breakfast. We were just finishing setting up shop when we heard the first footsteps coming down the hall "Get behind the table Molly," the whisper accompanied by a very hurried hand motion indicating the urgency of the action.

"What can I get you for breakfast sir? . . . " he went on to list every item that my Dad could already clearly see laid out on the table. And, so began a Saturday morning at the Wilson house.

As I am sure you know by now, Jamin loved to do things well and anything he couldn't do well he viewed as a challenge, most of which he gladly accepted. Cooking eventually fell into this category.

We were so fortuneate growing up to have an amazing mother who also happened to be a fantastic cook (and still is today)! She tried, whenever possible to have one of us help out in the kitchen. I think that J.B. was the only one who actually paid attention.

Although he learned the basics growing up it wasn't until J.B. was out on his own that he really began to become friends with the kitchen. As you may have read in either his Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe or Lasagna making adventure, Jamin would not settle for anything less than the best even if that meant the sacrifice of time. Always precise, Jamin would make sure that he had the perfect amounts of the necessary ingredients and would not stray from the instructions of the recipe book. But, he did have a point (as one friend recounted) "we have the directions here so if we just follow them we should come out with something good" and from what I understand he ususally did.

He is probably the only bachelor I have ever heard of that made lasagna from scratch just because he wanted to try, or would make cookies when he had the time only to give them away. Less than a month before his death Jamin conquered what I think most people consider to be the ultimate test of cooking capability . . . the Thanksgiving turkey. And as I understand it, he passed with flying colors.

I know that this is kind of a silly example but it is just one more reason why I admired my brother so much. He would take on something he had never done before and somehow or another still come out on top.

"J.B. what are you DOING?" . . . "Cook-ing mom"

He was so proud of the hat he even kept it on for the meal!

Kids night in the kitchen . . . and yes I did help (I just didn't want to wear the silly hat)

While the rest of us went for quantity, J.B. made sure that his job was done with quality (he did manage to peel the skin off in one long strand)

Jamin fixing us dinner in his German kitchen just a few months ago . . . more to come on this particular meal later

Memories of a Green Beetle

2007-02-03T12:42:00.000-05:00

The following was contributed by Vera Valentine, a friend and fellow counselor from Jamin's Camp Elim days in High School.

I met J.B. at Camp I think in 98', and am a couple of years younger than he was. I remember once, being so happy to get picked up by the shiny green beetle and ride safely (I do also remember feeling so safe with him at the wheel) up to camp for a training week I think. I don't remember much of that weekend except for that in a fairly rough game of "full contact" spoons,
J.B. managed to rip a hole through a new shirt of mine. We were both very surprised but I assured him not to worry, it was only a small hole and told him it could be repaired.

On the way home J.B. pulled off the highway to I think some castle rock outlets. I was not sure
what he was doing but soon figured out that he was determined to repair the "damage" he had done to the silly cotton shirt. He would not refuse taking me to choose another top to replace the one he had accidentally pulled. Once I figured I could not convince him to change his mind, I reluctantly went with him inside. We chose a sweater that I still wear today. I will not forget that gesture.

He probably never told you, but after leaving the store, we bumped into a well known receiver for the Denver Broncos. Poor J.B. had no idea who he was, but as a side note, I am a huge fan and will never forget that day. Meeting the bronco was just a bonus I guess.

I'm sure there are so many more meaningful stories than mine exemplifying his generosity and kindness, but I just wanted to let you know that I was glad to have known your son and thank you so much for raising such a wonderful young man.

Look at that smile! :)

2007-01-31T22:27:00.000-05:00

We have heard a number of comments over the last month and a half about Jamin's smile. It was without a doubt . . . beautiful. Genetically speaking he was blessed. His teeth were perfectly straight without ever needing braces, they were blindingly white, not too big or too small and, thanks to Jamin's meticulous dental hygiene, without a single cavity (thanks in part to a wonderful family dentist that was kind enough to attend the memorial service in Denver). But, above all else the best part of Jamin's smile was that he knew how to use it. It was hard to catch Jamin without it spread wide across his face. No matter how you were feeling it always had the tendency to brighten a person's day because you knew that behind those brilliant set of teeth was a sincere person who genuinely cared for others.

I don't know if others noticed this but it always cracked me up whenever I had to stand next to Jamin in a picture because someone had once told him that your best smile is when you look like you have just come out of a really good laugh. Well, Jamin latched onto this idea and ran with it so in every photo opportunity that I had with him I would always catch him shaking ever so slightly out of the corner of my eye because he had just figured out a way to make himself chuckle (and of course whenever he laughed his whole body was also involved). The funniest thing though, is that whenever we had family photo shoots Jamin would try his fail proof smiling technique and yet somehow he was always the one person in the picture that had his eyes closed or was unknowingly doing something else that ruined the family portrait. Ha, ha.

One other funny story I will recall in regards to Jamin's smile . . . I mentioned earlier that Jamin had no cavities. Well, that was not entirely true. He apparently did have one cavity but only as of last August. I found out about it when Parker and I went to visit him in Germany. I forget what brought it up in conversation but somehow or another it came out that Jamin had in fact gotten the first cavity of his life. He was of course very upset (it wasn't that he was vain about his perfect set of teeth but he was very proud of them) whereas I on the other hand was smiling on the inside. I had taken care of my teeth just as diligently as he had over all these years and yet had managed to make a few of those extra unwanted trips to the dentist. Finally, my brother was going to feel the wrath of the drill and the humiliation of a numb tounge. However, before I was able to relish in my own delight inwardly for too long, Jamin made a comment that was just so typical of him and had me laughing out loud within an instant. He said "I nearly got a second opinion because I didn't quite believe that it was true. I don't know if I trust those guys." Ha, ha . . . yes Jamin you are human and humans do get cavities every once in awhile - even you!

Harvard Memories - from Andrew Goulet

2007-01-29T20:10:00.000-05:00

I was the Senior House Representative of Adams House Class 2004 as well as Adams House Committee Chair from'02-'03; also, I have known JB since we shared expos class in the spring of Freshman year. JB was so kind and genuine; it is very hard to lose him, when, in fact, the world needs so many more like him.

JB played an integral role in our tightknit Adams House community and many at Harvard loved, admired, and appreciated him--which he would not have been the type to boast, but which I'm sure you could only have guessed.

I feel very lucky for the good times that I was able to share with JB at Harvard and in Adams and my heart goes out to you, his family, to whom I'm sure he was as wonderful a son and brother as he was a friend to us.

My sympathy,

Andrew Goulet '04

In Christ Alone

2007-01-29T09:37:00.000-05:00

Several have asked for the words to a song that we sang at the Denver memorial service. The song says it all...In Christ alone my hope is found! The words and music are by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend. If you google it, you will find several recordings of the song, so that you can add it to your collection!

In Christ Alone

In Christ alone my hope is found.
He is my light, my strength, my song.
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
when fears are stilled, when strivings cease.
My comforter, my all in all,
here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone who took on flesh,
fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
scorned by the ones He came to save.
'Til on the cross as Jesus died,
the wrath of God was satisfied.
For every sin on Him was laid;
here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain;
then, bursting forth in glorious day,
up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
sin's curse has lost its grip on me;
for I am His and He is mine,
bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death,
this is the power of Christ in me;
from life's first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man
can ever pluck me from His hand;
'til He returns or calls me home,
here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand!

The story behind the song

Jamin

2007-01-28T23:14:00.000-05:00

This is my dedication to my friend Jamin. I got to know Jamin in 2004 by being his sponsor to Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany.

I met Jamin at the airport in Frankfurt and quickly gave him the low down about active duty Air Force life and what there was to do in the area of Germany. We went on some awesome trips to Luxembourg and Pairs, but soon got caught up in work and other friends.

I guess what I'd like to write about most is his character and what I remember of him.

I unfortunately got the tragic news days after moving to my new assignment in New Mexico. He was at my going away party and seemed more excited about my assignment to the Air Force Research Labs. "Cool man, so you'll be on the cutting edge of technology!"

From the start of meeting Jamin I knew he was destine for great things. He swept through the jobs thrown at him: good and bad! He had integrity and a humble willingness to take on anything. He always did his best at anything I saw him do...and that was a scary thing for us other Lieutenant's. Jamin had crazy skills, endless talent, and what a character!

God only knows why somethings happen. But the way I see it--he left a living testament to greatness. All those good things that he embodied. He now rests with greatness and those who did great things for our country.

He was a good man, searching for his niche in life, and this world is a better place for him.

I miss you brother, see you in heaven.

God bless,
Rueben Amador

(if you'd like copy of Jamin's photos, email me at Rueben_a@yahoo.com)

Jamin's Hugs

2007-01-27T23:46:00.000-05:00

I don't know how many of you were fortunate enough to receive a hug from Jamin within the last few years (guys unfortunately you are probably in the minority here), but if you were lucky enough to have those long arms wrapped around you, I think that you will agree with me in saying that Jamin gave some of the best hugs!

Of course Jamin wasn't always this way. When we were younger he, like most boys his age, disliked hugging. So, a few years back, after a particularly bad hug from one of my two brothers (I can't remember which one - and I wouldn't name names anyway) I told them that they would have to do better than that if they ever wanted a girlfriend and suddenly they were all ears. So, I walked them through the various styles of hugging (i.e. side by side "squeeze" etc.), a knowledge which I guess comes innately to girls, and explained the various situations in which each would be appropriate. I know it sounds weird now but it was a fun time for our family as we tried to help the boys grasp onto the (apparently) difficult concepts that we were explaining. Ha, ha . . . I can still remember us laughing as the lesson progressed because the boys kept coming up with more and more outrageous hugging scenarios. "Ok, so what if you see someone you know in a grocery store but you only want to give them a side hug but they are blocked on both sides by the shelving and their cart . . . do I forgo the hug all together?" (I was really not trying to make it this technical but of course Jamin wanted to make sure he had all the details so he could do it right).

Well, he took what little advise I had to give and ran with it. I'm not exactly sure when the change happened but what I do know is that I both looked forward to and dreaded his hugs. As soon as he saw you he would open his arms to their full wingspan (which was quite wide I might add) walk towards you at a somewhat accelerated pace and not really stop until he had wrapped his arms around you which usually caused a bit of instability resulting in a rocking motion trying to regain balance. And, the strong he got the more, almost uncomfortable, his hugs were because he would squeeze you so tightly that it almost took the breath right out of you. However, pair that with the joyful grin he always had on his face and you couldn't help but relish in the moment.

One of my favorite memories of Jamin will always be an instance like this when he picked Parker and I up at the airport in Frankfurt last August. The doors from the baggage claim area opened and there was Jamin in a bright yellow Tshirt. He was on his feet immediately at the sight of us and before I had a chance to put any of my bags down he was there squeezing me with all his might. And I knew that he loved me.

But perhaps what I loved more than receiving the hugs myself was watching him give them to others, especially my Dad and brother. In a society where showing affection between men is not seen as very "manly," it was the coolest thing to see Jamin hug my Dad with as much enthusiasm as he did my Mom, and hug Parker with as much force as he did Brynna and I.

His hugs are just one more example of how he did things right. You knew after being hugged by Jamin that you were a meaningful part of his life.

"J.B. says . . ."

2007-01-26T00:35:00.000-05:00

Ok . . . this post is going to require a little reader participation . . .

Jamin was a person who rarely lacked words. It wasn't that he was talkative . . . its just that he could usually enter and contribute to any conversation regardless of the topic. But, don't be deceived - this talent was developed through years of active listening, perceiving, and learning about people, places and cultures different than his own.

What is more important to realize, though, is that Jamin was not only able to contribute when most people would be tongue tied but when he spoke people listened! Whether giving a presentation to his supervisors, delivering a speech at a ceremony, explaining how to do your job better, discussing his views on politics Macintosh computers, or just sitting around a table with friends . . . Jamin always seemed to ADD to the scenario rather than make you want to pull away. His words were often intelligent, insightful, wise, helpful, witty, kind, encouraging, funny and more often than not; thought provoking. Just by listening to him you would tend to think before you spoke and rearrange words in your head just so your sentence structure sounded as polished as his when it exited your mouth. I have even spoken to numerous people over the last month that have told me that they would spellcheck, proofread, and all around agonize over the wording of a simple friendly email just because they wanted to live up to the standard that he had set for using language properly.

As many of you know Jamin was fluent in English, French and who knows how many computer languages. (And when I say he was fluent in English I mean that he properly knew how to use a semicolon, could correct you on your grammar, read the dictionary for fun and practiced word pronunciation). As if that wasn't enough he also was proficient in Spanish and as I understand it was picking up the German language pretty well in his 2 and a half years over there. That was Jamin the linguist. However, I think that many of you may more fondly remember Jamin the goof.

It never ceased to amaze me how even with all of the choices of vocabulary and the skill for poised speaking Jamin's everyday language more resembled that of an 8th grader using terms that I thought had been retired after the '80s, and superlatives like they were going out of style. Occasionally there were times when it was as if all of the words in the world weren't enough to describe this world that brought Jamin so much joy and so he would create his own.

One particularly quirky thing that Jamin used to do was to refer to himself in the third person in speech or in writing (i.e. "Jamin says . . ., or "J.B. thinks . . ." see the post about Lasagna for a great example of this in action). We as a family could never quite figure out how all of this fit into the personality of an otherwise very well polished individual. But, I think that is what we all found so endearing about him. You knew that he could speak correctly if need be, but more often than not it just stifled the enthusiasm that was so Jaminesque.

Below is a list that I have compiled of some of the most frequent or favorite sayings that I remember from Jamin. Can't you just hear him now saying:

AWESOME!
Nice!
Oh Man!, OOOOOOOO MAAAAAAAAAN!, or Oh! Man!
Checkitout! or Check! it! OUT!
Awesomefest!
Awesomest!
rad!
totally rad!
cool!
ubercool!
so great!
the best!
the best EVER!
sweet!
tasty!
tastiest!
tons!
seriously!
that's hot!
tasty fest!
out of control!
super!
so
insane!
for crying out loud!
psyched!
folks
c'mon
you guys

I am sure that I am missing some of his best phrases so if they come to mind please let me know.

The best part of this list is that you could probably create a whole Jamin sentence or even paragraph by just using these words (and a few prepositions or nouns for filler). For instance:

OOOOOOOOOO MAAAAAANNNNN! checkitout! I mean seriously folks . . . isn't this just like the BEST thing you have EVER seen! It's totally out of control! (just add the emphatic "emmmph" noise (its hard to spell but I think most of you will know what I am talking about) - with closed mouth and big eyes on to the end of it and that is all that you need to begin speaking "Jamin")

Ha, ha. Oh how I am going to miss that voice.

I welcome your own memories of his unique language, your attempts at forming a Jaministic sentence or even examples of this from emails, texts, or letters that he has written to you over the years (just post them in the comments section below).

Denver Memorial Service - Audio

2007-01-22T19:56:00.000-05:00

On January 6th, 2007 a celebration of Jamin's life was held at Southern Gables Church in Littleton, Colorado.

Southern Gables was kind enough to provide us with an audio file of that service for all of those who were unable to attend to share with us in remembering Jamin. Simply click on the link below to listen to it on the web or download it for a future time.

Denver Memorial Service - Audio File

Please note that between minutes 2-8 you will hear the audio for the slideshow that was played during the memorial. The actual show is posted below:

Dichotomies - Jamin explains his own life

2007-01-22T19:40:00.001-05:00

He was unique . . . no one will argue that. But, it was more than just his passion for life, his positive attitude, unfailing grin, care for others, creative adaptability, craving for the new and unconquered, or superb organizational skills that made us love him. It was all of these plus many other "definable" attributes combined with those quirky, goofy, and mostly unexplainable characteristics that drew people to him. These are things that you can't describe to someone who never had the chance to know him. Believe me I've tried! However, his over the top hand movements, finger points, soothing deep voice, well calculated voice inflections, head bobble when he laughed, or the bounce in his step when he walked somehow never quite look or sound the same even when impersonated by someone who shares his genes. His "Jaminisms" are what I remember and treasure the most but are sometimes the hardest to recall.

We were fortuneate, though, that less than a month before his death Jamin prepared and delivered a speech for the toastmasters club that he was a part of on base (how he had time for this I don't know). In it he describes his own perspective on the person that he is in the context of the definition of the word "dichotomies." The fact that it was recorded is such a blessing to us because it helped to refresh in my memory some of those characteristics that are sometime so hard to pinpoint. For anyone who was there, correct me if I am wrong, but my guess is that Jamin wanted to have this recorded so that he could watch it at a later date and improve upon his own speaking style. This is just one more instance where his determination to become a better person has ended up benefiting others as well.

Enjoy:

A dad's eulogy - Harvard Memorial Service

2007-01-21T16:10:00.000-05:00

While J.B. attended school here at Harvard there were many times that I passed this church as well as spending time inside or on the steps outside. In fact, as you most likely know, his commissioning and graduation were held on the outdoor steps. What a wonderful and memorable time that was. Never would I have imagined that we would be back here so soon to remember and celebrate his life - a life that ended exactly a month ago today. But that is what we are doing, and in doing so we are learning of the value of a life well lived, no matter how short it might be.

A couple days after we’d heard about Jamin’s death when I was still crying and recoiling from the shock, I said to Becky, “I am so lost right now, the only thing I know I want to do is join the Air Force”. And that was said because of the professional and loving way that we were treated and cared for by every Air Force person with whom we had contact from the moment we were notified. During our brief time in Germany we felt the Air Force family continuing to wrap their arms around us. The wonderful memorial service there and everything they did - honored Jamin’s life far more than we could have ever imagined. I know there are a number of you here today who are currently in the ROTC program or actively serving in the military. To all of you for the sacrifices that you make to serve us, we can only say in words that are so inadequate -Thank You. Please convey our heart felt appreciation back to your comrades and commanders.

No sooner had word begun to spread of this tragic event than we began to hear from family and friends as well as acquaintances of Jamin’s, many of whom we had never met. We were, and still are, overwhelmed with the outpouring of concern, care and love that has been shown to our family. Many of you who reached out to us during this difficult period are here today and we want you to know that this gathering continues to demonstrate in a very visible way your love for Jamin and our family. So we say to you also, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you for your love and prayers. I can honestly say we have needed all the support you have provided.

Jamin would be very pleased to know that one benefit of all that has happened in the last month is that Becky and I have become good friends with one of his best friends - the computer. In the days that followed his death, particularly the early ones, we asked that no one call because we were honestly not capable of communicating verbally. But I want you to know that the emails, cards, and letters that poured in meant, and continue to mean, the world to us. We would sit at the computer and cry great tears as we read, from people we had never met, how Jamin had positively impacted their lives and from others how greatly they were going to miss his friendship, many talents and smile. Quite honestly, if we had instead heard those comments, they would have been much appreciated, but somewhat forgotten – even now. Through all those written testimonies of Jamin’s attributes and the loss that so many have experienced I found real substance to the quote sent by a friend, which read – “The loss is immeasurable, but also immeasurable is the love left behind”. To have your love and support conveyed to us in written form is now, and will continue to be, something that we savor and treasure.

I want to tell you that I have never considered myself to be good at conveying condolences to people, because I was not sure just what to do or how to do it – and I’m guessing many of you are in that same boat. Now, being in the midst of this great loss, I believe I know what to do. And the answer is simply - let the bereaved know you care in words that are, no doubt, best said in ways that are not eloquent. I think I will always carry with me the words we received from an extended family member who, probably because of also having experienced the loss of a child, wrote so simply and succinctly, “I wish you didn’t have to hurt so much”. And please never think it’s not enough to say “I’m sorry”, because those words convey a tremendous amount of love and concern. Finally, give out hugs. We should all get hugs daily, but most especially they are needed when a loved one is gone. A close family friend wrote, “tight hugs to all of you” - that spoke volumes.

Another way that love has been so visibly demonstrated to us is the way that people in Germany, Denver, and now here in Cambridge have rallied to meet our needs and provide everything necessary for this “awesome”, as J.B. would certainly call it, memorial service. As many of you may or may not know, he loved using superlatives. I don’t want to begin listing names for fear of missing some, but if you will allow us, Becky and I would particularly like to thank Jessie Bryan, Ryan Browne, Reverend Edington, and Sean and Judy Palfrey for all they have done to help us honor our beloved son, Jamin Buchanan Wilson.

In his early years as well as here at Harvard you primarily knew him as J.B. Although we loved the name Jamin we were somewhat hesitant to saddle him with such an unusual moniker at an early age. It’s a Hebrew name that is found in the Old Testament and is correctly pronounced Yameen – but we weren’t about to strap him with that pronunciation. Most of us know the name Benjamin, which means son of Jamin. What we found to be interesting was that as he grew older he preferred the name Jamin over J.B. and took pride in the name. We were drawn to the name because it means “right hand” or “right hand of God” and we felt sure he was going to be someone we could count on, as well as being a man who would do great things for God. Many were the times I prayed that he would fulfill his very special name. And never, as I mentioned earlier, did we imagine that his life would be cut so tragically short. But we now know that he was named correctly. First, because he truly did turn out to be someone who we all, family and friends counted on to do the right thing, the difficult job and the caring task, with what seemed like great ease and almost always, with a smile. We now also know, because of comments and tributes written by so many friends from his high school, college, and Air Force days, that there was a tremendous consistancy in how he treated everyone, no matter at which point he met them in life.

I also now believe, though he never went into some form of ministry, that he did great things for God by showing us how to live the life we are given at the highest level we can - with as much integrity, enthusiasm and joy as possible - while caring for and helping others - and doing it all with a deep sense of humility. If you know the scriptures you know those are Godly attributes. We all knew those were the traits he embodied, but it seems that only now after we have had to suffer this great loss do we fully realize that he lived the life to which we all should aspire - one of joyful optimism and complete enjoyment of the beautiful world in which we live.

Only when we see God face to face will we be able to understand why Jamin had to be taken from us so unexpectedly and quickly, but it helps me to think that perhaps he got to exit instantly, painlessly, and early because he got it right so soon. The rest of us, including myself, apparently have work to do. If we each one, and particularly those whose lives he touched, would follow Jamin’s example of a life well lived - by being more thankful for our station in life, being awed by even the ordinary in life, continually striving to excel in all that we do and taking on each day with joyful exuberance - then I propose to you ... what appears to be such a great loss in the death of our dear son Jamin, can be turned into great gain - both in our lives and ... the lives of those we touch. What he did do and could have done will be multiplied many times over. I’d also like to add that I believe those of you attending today from Harvard or MIT have a heavier responsibility than many others who knew J.B. to live out and pass on these characteristics which so positively impacted the people he met. To paraphrase the scriptures - To whom much has been given, much will be expected. I want to seriously encourage you to meet that challenge.

I hope that as you do so you can also do it with the full enjoyment of life that seemed to permeate Jamin’s time here on earth. As you continue forward from this day I want you to carry with you and live out the words of the very last entry that was made in his personal journal; a call to action that I believe he unknowingly wrote for all of us - it reads - So it’s all hands on deck; let’s unfurl the sails and follow the sun to the horizon fully enjoying this adventure that is life.

At the reception after the memorial service in Germany we overheard someone say, “can you imagine how GREAT Jamin thinks heaven is? to which another person replied, “yeah .... but do you really think there’s enough to keep him busy?” That’s our guy. Thank you so very much for coming to remember Jamin and honor the God who created him.

How can anyone derive so much fun from one meal?

2007-01-21T15:25:00.000-05:00

Following, is just one more example of how much Jamin enjoyed his life and why we enjoyed receiving emails from him. It came to us entitled "On this day in history":

Friends... Family... Family with whom I am friendly (I like that, by the way)...

You may wish to take note of this day, for it is one that shall surely go down in history. Why, you ask? Because, family of mine, today is the day on which Jamin has cooked the tastiest thing he has ever cooked. Yes, that's right, the very tastiest. The most scrum-didily-umptuous thing that has ever crossed my kitchen did so on this very day, yea verily.

What, you ask, was this most delectable of goodies? Well, I shall tell you. It was lasagna. And I might point out that this, in addition to being the tastiest thing that Jamin has ever cooked, was also the most complicated. I mean, seriously people, this thing had _multiple_ ingredients. And I'm not just talking about "add water to X and heat until boiling" either... There must have been eight or ten ingredients. And I had to boil things and sauté things (I didn't even know I was qualified to sauté things until tonight) and bake things, and in the process create this most delicious smell which filled up the entirety of my kitchen. It was a long and arduous process (about an hour and 45 minutes to be exact), but in the end, it was worth it. A veritable feast was enjoyed by all. That is to say, by me. But being that the lasagna was quite huge, and given also that I ate but one third of it, and given moreover that I made only a half (or perhaps two-thirds -- I was a bit generous) batch of it, I think that this is the sort of thing which I shall have to invite some friendly types over to consume with me in the future. In the meantime, I have enough leftovers to feed me for a couple of days.

And so all good stories must come to an end. This one happens to be doing so at a fine time, as I must to bed, where sweet slumber made sweeter by thoughts of a savory supper shall transpire.

I hope you are all having a great day over there on the part of the world where it's still daytime. I love you lots.

jamin

Jamin's last journal entry

2007-01-21T09:22:00.000-05:00

For those of you who knew Jamin (J.B.), you can honor him by carrying forward and living out the words of the very last entry that he made in his personal journal, a call to action that he unknowingly wrote for all of us -

"All hands on deck; let's unfurl the sails and follow the sun to the horizon fully enjoying this adventure that is life."

Harvard Memorial Service

2007-01-20T16:33:00.000-05:00

On Sunday, January 14th, a third memorial service was held for Jamin Buchanan Wilson in Cambridge, MA. It took place thanks to the wonderful friendship of Jessie Bryan and Ryan Browne, and their desire to bring together J.B.'s friends from the college years of his life. The service was held at the beautiful Memorial Church, on the Harvard campus. Memorial Church was built following WWI, to honor those from Harvard who had paid the ultimate price for our freedom, with each of those names engraved in the building itself.

It was on the outside steps of this church that just two and a half years ago, Jamin stood grinning, accepting his commission as an officer in the USAF, alongside his dear friends from ROTC Detachment 365. It was a beautiful sunny, spring day, full of happiness and pride. The ceremony was so uplifting, with wonderful music played by the Marine Band. The inspiring speakers included the Secretary of the Air Force and other dignitaries. How proud we all were of the men and women on those steps! And the following day as well, when all who were "Harvard" gathered in that same place to celebrate the graduation of the class of '04. What great occasions these were!

And now, such a short time later, we were back for a different purpose. It had been exactly one month since Jamin's life had ended so suddenly. The January weather in Boston was cold and rainy. But other aspects of the service remained on par with those sunny June days in '04. The pride was still there. Not just pride in Jamin, but also in the fifty-plus young people who gathered to remember him. Their friendships were still strong, their lives on track to make a difference. The music was again beautiful... this time Bach, wonderfully played on the pipe organ. The speakers were inspiring and uplifting. Friends and family recalled J.B.'s zest for life. Then Rev. Mark Edington reminded us of Jesus' own words, "I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly" (John 10:10), and how knowing Jesus Christ had both allowed J.B. to enjoy that abundant life, and had enabled him to make the lives of those around him more exciting as well.

Our family would like to thank Housemasters of Adams House, Dr.'s Sean and Judith Palfrey, for the warm welcome and lovely accommodations, and Rev. Mark Edington, organist Edward Jones, and sexton Richard Campbell for making it possible to have the use of Memorial Church. We also thank Jessie Bryan, Ryan Browne, and all the friends who traveled from near and far to help us remember Jamin. In his own words, "they are the best friends a guy could ever ask for".

Wilson Family Motto

2007-01-20T15:53:00.003-05:00

Jamin was a first-born, and the son of a first-born. His dad was born a perfectionist, and that apple didn't fall far from the tree! By the time he was in High School, we noticed that he was sometimes leaving projects uncompleted, simply because they were not PERFECT! This, we thought, was a problem. We had a talk with him, reminding him that an excellent project that is finished is far better than a perfect project which never gets finalized. The amazing thing about Jamin is that he usually listened to his parents and mentors!!! We soon saw a change.

It was around this time, I believe, that we made one of our family motto's, "We strive for excellence, not perfection". Charlie has often had to ask one child or another to repeat that back to him, when they needed to be reminded. But the great thing is, when they see a bit of perfectionism bubbling to the surface in Charlie, the children have also been heard asking their dad "What's our family motto, Dad??", and he appreciates the reminder. (As for mom, perfectionism has never been a problem. I could use a bit more of the striving for excellence in my life!) We believe striving for perfection is futile. But there is nothing at all wrong with striving for excellence. In fact we should all do that, achieving as high a level as we possibly can.

Imagine our smiles when we saw on the door to Jamin's room in Speicher, this quote from George S. Patton...

He realized his weaknesses and was continually on a pursuit to improve them . . . oh that we would all do the same!

J.B. and Parker's Ultra-delicious Chocolate Chip Cookies

2007-01-20T15:31:00.000-05:00

So, now that you have our recipe for a fine son, we thought you might also like to have a recipe FROM that fine son. As you may know, J.B. had a way of making everything bigger and better, and this chocolate chip cookie thing was no different. If I remember correctly he was somewhat disappointed by another recipe that he had tried, so of course, never one to settle, he and younger brother Parker got together one day and decided to come up with the PERFECT** chocolate chip cookie recipe. Nothing was spared to come up with this combo. (Just keep in mind, we lived at a high altitude at the time, so you may need to adjust the flour). We wish we could give it to you in his own handwriting, but at least it's in his own words.

J.B. and Parker's Ultra-delicious Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 3/4 cups flour (maybe 3 cups)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups chocolate chips

Heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Stir flour with baking soda and salt. In mixer, cream butter with sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla. Gradually add dry mixture to mixing bowl. Add chocolate chips. Bake at 375 degrees F for 9 to 11 minutes or until a delicious golden brown.

**see "Wilson Family Motto"

Recipe for a Fine Son

2007-01-17T14:08:00.000-05:00

Our family had both the privilege and the pleasure to travel to Spangdahlem Air Base in the days following Jamin's death. There we were able to meet his wonderful friends and co-workers, and hear their words about our son and his Air Force life. (Oh how he loved that place and those people!) At one point, Capt. Steven Abate remarked to me, "All I know is, my wife wants your recipe for a son like that!". Two sleepless nights followed, and allowed me some time to think about what he had said, and below is the result...

RECIPE FOR A FINE SON
In memory of Lt Jamin Buchanan Wilson

Take one man, who is trustworthy and good,
and one woman, who believes raising children
IS a career,
and blend them together in marriage,
committed for a lifetime.

In time, add the main ingredient -a baby boy,
(which comes in gift form)
and hold him close until he feels secure,
and feed him regularly so that he can trust.
Generously sprinkle in siblings if you are able.
(I used one brother and two sisters).
Mix them together vigorously
by having them share -- chores...play...a bedroom.

-Add in varied amounts:
more books than television,
more outings to the park than to the mall,
more creative thinking than pat answers,
more joyful anticipation
than fear of what is not known.

While this mixture is brewing,
pour in genuine praise as often as possible
and loving punishment
in small but necessary droplets.
And tell him you love him... often

Then measure -
the value of extended family
and of teachers and coaches who care,
adding this generously to the above.
Watch closely for gifts and talents to
bubble to the surface
and when they appear, be careful not to pop them.
For they must be allowed to grow in size indefinitely.

In a separate container gather many friends,
being sure to sort through them thoughtfully.
Set aside any who have soured from negative behavior
or become pitted by careless living
before blending in.
Watch daily for spoilage, and remove it immediately when it appears.
Be sure to make room for this mixture in your home.
Then shake in experiences exuberantly;
travel, the arts, the outdoors,
and teamwork and team play,
for they add a great deal
to the color and flavor of a life.

To finish, find a container (but not a mold)
much larger than yourself--
preferably one that is flexible.
Pat in a generous base of faith in God’s plan,
and prayerfully pour everything in over this,
including a part of yourself.
Then take a step back
and allow your son to grow and mature,
but DO NOT set a timer.
You are nearly finished.

When you can see that your work is done,
gently release this masterpiece to his calling,
asking only that he give back to others
in great proportion.
And tell him again that you love him... like crazy.

Then go and sit quietly,
close your eyes, and inhale deeply,
and savor the incredible aroma
of a fine young son.
-RLW

J.B. Hunt

2007-01-16T21:55:00.000-05:00

My brother was one person who liked to think about others before himself. Its funny how he would do things just to make me feel better about myself even though it might make him look stupid. Like when we were little, our family would take road trips in our family van. We used to play all sorts of games in the car and my parents would often help us in them. One game that my parents came up with is that while were on our trips we would see these trucks that say J.B. Hunt on the side of it. My parents used to joke around with J.B. and they would say "hide J.B. they are coming to get you" but in a little nicer way then that. Well, since I am the youngest, I tend to not figure things out quite as quickly as my siblings. After time they all figured out that those trucks really weren't after J.B. but I on the other hand, still thought it was true. So when we would pass one of those trucks I would always tell J.B. to hide because they were after him. Even though he knew that it wasn't true, he would always hide for me. I don't know if it was just to be nice to his not so smart youngest sister, or if he liked the fun of the game, but something deep down tells me that he did it simply because he didn't want me to worry about him. He wanted to make sure I knew that he would be ok because he knew what to do and it made me feel better knowing that I helped him to be "safe".

Jamin's Memorial Slideshow

2007-01-13T00:32:00.000-05:00

For those of you that weren't able to attend the memorial service that was held in Denver, here are the slideshow and quotes movies that were played there. Much thanks to everyone who wrote the nice letters that helped make up the quotes movie.

Sing that tune!

2007-01-10T19:52:00.000-05:00

Ok, so I know that Christmas is over but I couldn't resist posting this short clip that we received from one of Jamin's Air Force friends. I think that it highlights Jamin's energy and enthusiasm for . . . well pretty much everything - even an old classic.

Does anyone know the story behind this?

While we are on the subject of Christmas . . . I have heard and seen so many quotes to the effect of "The world would be such a better place if spirit of Christmas continued on year round." Without trying to make Jamin sound like a saint, I think that this is something that Jamin really grasped onto. He approached each day as if it was Christmas morning - excited for what gifts the day would bring (and on that note I truly believe that even the one's that once opened contained that notorious phrase "some assembly required" brought joy and a smile to his face - possibly even more so than perfectly packaged sunrises or sunsets that he so often took pictures of). In turn he also gave his own gifts to others - on a daily basis, YEAR ROUND! Sometimes these came in the form of compliments, sometimes in the form of assistance or volunteer work, money, or simply sharing his joy with others. The important thing is that no matter how many gifts he was given (by birth, or received throughout life) he did not keep them to himself - he handed them out to others as often as possible - not wrapping them all up and waiting for one day to hand them all out. What I think I will always appreciate about J.B. though is the way that he never lost the inner child within him. He didn't worry about what others would think of his goofiness or excitement about the small things in life (as proved the video) but instead taught others to appreciate them too (you have to admit you wanted to join in and sing with him didn't you?).

I dare say that if we lived in a world where every day was Christmas we may come close to the world that Jamin lived in.

A Nightly Serenade

2007-01-09T21:39:00.000-05:00

The following post was contributed by Jennifer Brewington, a friend of J.B.'s from Camp Elim (a Christian camp where he volunteered for several summers during High School):

One week during the summer, years ago (I want to say 7 years), J.B. was the guy's counselor for Co-Workers camp. Since it was such a small group, there was just one building that the boys and girls used, with only a wall and a door separating their sleeping quarters. Well, every night J.B. would get all the boys into the small hallway on the other side of the door to sing to the girls right before bed. Every night we looked forward to what song it would be, sometimes we would make requests, but we all thought it was great!

Happy Birthday J.B.!

2007-01-09T20:35:00.001-05:00

Today, January 9th, would have been J.B.'s 26th Birthday. He missed it by just over 3 weeks. On his last birthday I told him "Let me know how this whole quarter of a century thing turns out and I might give it a try in . . . um about a year and a half or so. Love ya!"

I really wish he was still around to give me his advise! However, these past three weeks without him have been so enlightening, and inspirational that I feel like he has left it behind for me to continue to digest through the kind words of his friends, co-workers, family, classmates, teammates, roommates, and teachers . . . so to all of you I say THANK YOU!

If God grants me the gift of 17 more months on this earth I will, for what feels like the first time in my life, have accomplished something that my big brother was not able to do . . . reach my 26th Birthday. If that happens, I may surpass him in age but I know for sure that it will take a lifetime to try to outlive him.

Happy Birthday Brother! I LOVE YOU LIKE CRAZY!

P.S. I think that it is worth noting that Apple Computers just unveiled their new products today, January 9th! Coincidence . . . I think not. Despite what gifts we may have given him this birthday I think that he would still consider this little piece of information the best thing EVER! More to come on that later.

J.B. with friends from D'Evelyn High School on his 18th Birthday

Jamin celebrating his 25th Birthday on base last year - thank you to all who made this a special day for him!

The Perfect Weekend - In His Own Words

2007-01-04T20:57:00.000-05:00

Being the tight-knit though somewhat spread out family that we are, we have always loved receiving emails from eachother. There has kind of been this energy generated in our household whenever we receive emails from members that are not currently at home. Its almost a contest to see who can report that they saw the email first "Did you see the email from ________ yet?" And then recounting everything that the family member said before the other person has a chance to read it for themselves. It is with this excitement that we always read through Jamin's emails about his adventures at college and then in Europe. Yes, he went some amazing places and saw some of the most extraoridinary landscapes. However, it never ceased to amaze us how excited he could get about the most mundane things in life. He saw the good in everything. The email below is simply an example of that. I hope you enjoy reading about life from Jamin's perspective. We could all learn a lesson or two about positivity from this:

"Today I woke up and went to a friend's house for brunch. It was four lawyers, a nurse, and me, and we had eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuits with home-made peach preserves, Nutella, and raspberry jam, mimosas, and lots of tasty fruit. Quite a spread, really. And I must tell you that these lawyer-types are really quite well-educated, and hence, quite witty. Lots of fun for breakfast conversation.

Meanwhile, I recieved a call from another friend who wondered if I'd like to go on a bike ride. Now you see, I've been going on some little bike rides here and there, but I've been meaning to go on a really serious bike ride for a while now, and this was it. The friends I was meeting up with actually live a decent bit (by bike, at least) away from me, and then from there we were going to a cool little town on the Mosel River. Well, it ended up being quite a trek. I biked 43 km each way over some pretty serious hills, for a total of 86 km today. I think if I had been in the Tour de France, I would have gotten the red spotted jersey today for best hill-climbing (I guess I _was_ the only one who rode the hilly parts of the trail, but you know...). Anyhow, awesome time. Had a tasty little waffle with whipped cream and cherries in Bernkastel (the destination) for a mid-ride treat, then hopped back on the trail to head home. Total time on bike today: 6.5 hours. Awesome.

And then I came home and had some tasty spaghetti*. And now I am going to bed. And I like bed.

Oh yes, and I wrote an e-mail to my family whom I love very much. That's great. I can't wait to get to see you all at Thanksgiving. Hope you all had a great weekend too.

Love you like crazy,
Jamin

* Well, not quite as tasty as Mom's, but hey -- a guy can't ask for
_everything_, can he?"

Boston Memorial Service

2007-01-04T09:07:00.000-05:00

The Boston Memorial Service will be held Sunday, January 14th at 5:00pm.
The location is: Memorial Chapel
Harvard Yard
Cambridge, MA
Following the service there will be a reception at Adams House.

Jamin's Important Research

2007-01-02T18:59:00.000-05:00

This post was contributed by Felix Blum a dear friend of the family who entered my Dad's life when he lived with his family during high school on an exchange program from Switzerland. Since that time we have been in touch several times a year and he has had multiple opportunities to spend time with our family and us with his.

Forty years ago I came into the Wilson family. Since I arrived in Denver in 1966 we have shared some important steps in our lives: Charlie and Becky got married the same year als Susanne and I did. What a wonderful surprise and joy, when we could announce to each other at the same time the birth of our first children - Jamin and Anna. This way it went on. Every other year we were given one more couple. First Molly and Basil, then Parker and Rosalia and finally Brynna and Donat. The only difference (beside that each one is a very unique idividual) was, that you started with a boy and ended with a girl while we did it vice versa.
In 1999 your whole family come over to Europe and visited us in Switzerland. The following year we all were together on Lake Powell and in Denver - unforgettable times for us!

Having the chance to see four children growing, up one certainly can notice some caracteristics according to the position in their familiy. E.g. our eldest, Anna, is a person that tries to do everything to her best and who takes lots of responsability. I believe to have noticed a similar attitude with J.B. On the pictures taken at the Rhine Falls and on Lake Powell Jamin stands firm and responsable in this life.The third picture has been taken in Arogno. From that trip to the italian part of Switzerland I still remember a little story:

We just got home from lunch in Como on the Italian side of the border when Jamin announced that he needs to go to the nearest McDonalds. So we got back in the car and drove to Lugano. As I did not know better we got off in front of a Burger King restaurant. It was only there that I realized that we were not looking just for a hamburger to eat because Jamin would prefer American to Italian food or because he was still hungry. No, what he was looking for was a Mc Donalds place because his aim was to test weather the quality of the Big Mac is the same all over the world. For that he wanted to taste one of them in every bigger city he passed on his trip through Europe. Of course we wanted to give our support to his studies that he followed systematically even during vacations. So we were really glad when we finally pulled in in front of a real Mc Donald's. And Jamin was pleased with the results of his researches.

The beginnings of a soldier

2006-12-31T18:35:00.000-05:00

It's funny how hindsight is so revealing. Looking back, I can spot many instances in Jamin's life that might have told me he would someday be a soldier. For instance, we got our first computer when he was almost six. I can still see him and his little brother perched on chairs, legs dangling with little red sneakers swinging in midair. The favorite game was "Wings of Fury", a flight control operation, where tiny airplanes would take off and land from little aircraft carriers, carrying out their missions to bomb enemy strongholds in the process.The boys would play it for hours, the joystick gripped and their bodies jerking from side to side to "help" with the landings.

I believe it was in the summer of '88 when JB was asked to be the ring bearer in the wedding of a dear friend. We traveled to Kentucky for the wedding, and Jamin, a bit self concious, was told what to do for the rehearsal. Well, his first trip down the isle was full of mischief--silly faces and and a walking style that was closer to that of a clown. It was his way of compensating for being in the unwanted spotlight. I met him at the end of the ilse, took him aside, probably got a good grip on his shoulders, and told him I was expecting more from him. "You walk down that isle like a soldier next time". I can still hear myself saying it. Apparently he could still hear it too, as he went down the isle a second time, stiff as a board, not flinching. An immediate soldier he had become, to the opposite extreme.

In sixth grade, JB was asked to take his turn at being in charge of the flag-raising ceremony at his elementary school. As I recall, each child did it for several weeks at a time. One morning, when I was dropping the other children off at school, one of the teachers pulled me aside. "You've got to see this, she said." I watched as I saw my oldest son come around the corner leading a group of other sixth-graders in a military-style march to the flag pole. A brief ceremony took place, orchestrated entirely by Jamin, who made sure everyone stood at attention while the flag went up. Half of the teaching staff stood and watched it seemed, as they had never seen anything like it. "Where did he get this idea?", I asked myself. Neither his dad nor I had taught it to him. But somehow he had picked up a sense of order that should accompany a flag-raising, and made sure it was accomplished, even with 11 year-olds.

Hiking with Jamin

2006-12-31T17:55:00.000-05:00

A happy memory of mine is the time Jamin (about age 12) and I hiked our first 14,000 ft. peak in Colorado. We camped over night at the base and arose before daylight the next morning to head up Mount of the Holy Cross. The climb went well and we arrived at the top enjoying the "forever" views all to ourselves. Jamin took particular pride in signing the log showing that he had reached the goal. Although the hike up had been strenuous, the hike back proved to be particularly difficult because it involved climbing down through massive boulder fields and was really tiring to my legs. I'll always remember as we neared the bottom and I was about to drop from exaustion Jamin cheerfully called to me from behind. He said, "Dad I just realized something", to which I replied, "What's that son?" And he happily said, "I just realized I've been smiling the whole way down". That was the essence of my Jamin - he almost always had a smile on his face and he faced even the most difficult tasks with enthusiasm and happiness. Jamin, I love you like crazy! Dad

Words of Wisdom

2006-12-31T16:39:00.000-05:00

As I have been going through Jamin's photos preparing for the upcoming memorial in Denver I came across a picture that he took of an epitaph on display at Bastogne, a cemetary commemorating those who died during World War II.

The fact that Jamin took a picture of it attests to the importance and meaning he thought these words conveyed.

In light of his own death I think that Jamin would utter words much the same as these if he had the chance. Though he is gone our lives can still be a ripple of all of the good that he was and in so doing bring honor to his 25 years with us on earth.

In case you can't read the words in the picture they say:

We have only died in vain if you believe so;
You have to decide the wisdom of our choice,
By the world which you shall build upon our headstones,
And the everlasting truth, which have your voice.

Though dead, we are not heros yet, nor can be,
'Til the living by their lives which are the tools,
Carve us the epitaph of wise men,
And give us not the epitaph of fools.

David J. Phillips, 506th P.J.F./ 101st Abne. Div.

Jamin's Alphabet

2006-12-31T15:53:00.000-05:00

It happened one afternoon . . . 4, maybe 5 years ago. Jamin was home from college for the summer and was unusually just hanging around the house not really doing much of anything. I forget the circumstances that surrounded the event that I am about to explain but I imagine that some of us were gathered in the living room just watching tv, reading or talking. J.B. walked through and seated himself down right next to the bowl of pretzels that Mom always had conviently located for "walk-by munching."

And so he began; just snacking at first until suddenly through an uncalculated bite a letter of the alphabet appeared. Thus, the challenge arose. Could he infact recreate the whole English alphabet by nibbling away at pretzels? The idea was his and his alone. Never being one to back away from possiblity, Jamin embarked on this quest.

I will never forget the look he gave each pretzel as he picked it up and studied it carefully ensuring its quality for the purpose that he had in mind. He approached each letter almost mathmatically trying to figure out which parts needed to go and which needed to stay. And then carefully, ever SO carefully he would bite into it with the precision that only his perfectly straight set of teeth could provide making you wonder if all of those years of dental care had lead up to this one moment.

I'll admit, I doubted. And so after awhile I tired of merely watching his efforts and retired to my room. Occasionally I would hear his grunts of frustration (the only way I ever heard him express anger) or the occasional "Ah, Man!" through clentched teeth when the shape fell apart on the last bite.

He must have been there over an hour never moving from his spot on the couch. He would not leave his post until his task was complete. I don't know how many pretzels he ended up consuming that afternoon just to make those 26 letters but I do remember noticing that the munching pile had significantly decreased in the bowl.

What I do remember though is that when the call came that dinner was ready I headed downstairs and there it was in plain view. You couldn't miss it. He had done it and he was proud. I think that the pretzels were stale by the time that he reluctantly allowed us to throw them away.

He knew it was silly, of course. But, he also knew that he had accomplished something that he set out to do and he took pride in it. That was Jamin. Always! Whether pretzels, or papers, websites, or languages he set out to do the best he could and didn't shy from ridicule in the process. You see he was doing it to prove to himself that he could and he always did it amazingly well.

And so without further ado I present to you Jamin's pretzel alphabet:

In the Shadow of the Pentagon

2006-12-28T22:43:00.000-05:00

December 26th, 2006
It is a sea of white. Tombstones as far as your eye can see, broken up only by the perfectly manicured lawns inbetween and the occasional burst of color provided by a wreath, flag or boquet of flowers so lovingly placed in remeberance of happier times. Even before you enter the gates the reminder of the finality of life seems to grab hold and carry you to a place of reverent silence.

Just across the Potomac lies the lifeblood of the American dream - monuments of those who have and offices of those who continue to preserve our nation's freedom. It is only fitting that the Memorial Bridge linking one to the other originates in front of Lincoln's memorial one of the greatest visionairies of what America could be if all men were free, and ends with those who have died trying to preserve this vision. To the West is the historic Iwo Jima Memorial, to the East the Pentagon. Greatness lies before and beside this hallowed ground. This is truly a place of honor. This is Arlington Memorial Cemetery. This is where on December 26th, 2006 at 1:00pm in the afternoon we said our final goodbyes laid Lt. Jamin Buchanan Wilson to rest.

I think back to ten years ago when Jamin entered this place on his own power. We were tourists then. Respectful, grateful, and in awe of the cost of our liberty but rather numb to the true value of each of those blindingly white headstones. But Jamin learned to understand. While many would spend time lying on a beach somewhere Jamin would take the time to continue to visit these military cemetarys throughout his travels in Europe. He found a certain beauty in them. They were clean, organized, well kept, informative, honoring, massive in scope and in his eyes "one of the government's best use of money." We chose Arlington for this reason . . . Jamin would have loved it!

Once again the Air Force came through far beyond what we could have expected. We followed the hearse to the burial site in Section 66 near the corner of Arnold and McArthur drives. Waiting for us were 8 men in uniform to be the pallbearers. The precision with which they preformed their duty could only have been shown up by one man that I know. The American flag covered the casket of this most beloved brother of mine

Chaplain Black conducted the service and spoke to Jamin's extraordinary level of service through a letter as written by Jamin's commanding officer at Spangdahlem Air Base, Lt. Colonel Bennett. My Dad, Charlie, spoke to his talents, potential and humility. There was a 21 gun salute followed by the presentation of the flag to our family on behalf of President Bush. When the commemorative box was place in my parents hands and opened I think that we all nearly lost our breath. There were Jamin's medals of honor that his service to the nation had merited. A small representation of the kind of man he was but special nonetheless.

A final prayer was said and roses were placed on the casket by all those present. And so we said goodbye and left to let Jamin rest in peace with those whom have gone before him.

There are those buried alongside him that may have received more medals than he, fought in more battles, saved more people, or done more for the American democracy. But, they did all of this with a sense of honor, and integrity, giving the best that they were for the country they loved. And in this way Jamin is no different. Let us all cherish these attributes in respect of those who showed us how.

Our hope is that one day you too may be able to pay your respects to Jamin and the others who have given their lives for us.

Tunnel Vision

2006-12-27T20:29:00.001-05:00

The following is a short video that Jamin took on a trip with some of his high school friends, Jeff Burch and Chip Meister, when they visited him in September, 2006. Although you can't see Jamin at all in this movie his personality oozes through.

Be prepared to get more excited about a man made hole through a mountain than you ever have in your life!

Denver Memorial Service Information

2006-12-26T00:35:00.000-05:00

Memorial Services for Lt. Jamin Buchanan Wilson will be held
Saturday, January 6th at 2:00 PM
Southern Gables Church
4001 S. Wadsworth Blvd.
Lakewood, CO 80123-1358
303-986-1527
website: www.sgc.org

This Church is located on the Southwest side of Denver, appx. a one hour+ drive from DIA. Major cross streets are Hampden and Wadsworth.
DIRECTIONS FROM DIA

Or click on the link below
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&saddr=denver+international+airport&daddr=4001+S+Wadsworth+Blvd,+Littleton,+CO+80123&sll=39.640066,-105.082512&sspn=0.172377,0.359116&ie=UTF8&om=1&z=11

For those arriving from out of town, hotel accommodations can be arranged at the following:
Holiday Inn Lakewood (303) 980-9200
7390 W Hampden Ave
Lakewood, CO 80227
Ask for the bereavement rate/Wilson Memorial Service/$59.00

Other close-by hotels are...
Hampton Inn Denver (303)989-6900
3605 S. Wadsworth Blvd
Lakewood Co 80035
rate quoted was $89-99

Courtyard Suites, Lakewood (303) 985-9696
7180 W Hampden Ave
Lakewood, Co 80227
rate quoted was $69-79

The Accident Explained

2006-12-25T22:43:00.000-05:00

I know that for some of you it may be difficult to read the circumstances under which Jamin left this earth. If this is the case I would suggest that you cease reading this particular blog and go on to read or add onto other happier memories of him on this site. However, there are those of you for whom an explaination of the accident scene may help to bring some understanding and closure to this tragic event.

I will start by stating that Jamin was an excellent driver. He was that way when he began driving and as I understand it he was that way up until the day that he died. While I would buckle my seatbelt while pulling away from the house and adjust the music and seat once the car was in motion, Jamin would always spend the extra minute or two when he got into the car to make sure that all such arrangements were taken care of before he ever put the car in drive. It used to drive me crazy! Furthermore, he would never exceed the speed limit and it was difficult to ever catch him without his hands placed properly at 10 and 2 on the steering wheel. All that being said it was a shock to hear that J.B.'s death occured in a car accident. How in the world could my "perfect driving record" brother have made an error so big? The following is an account as I understand it from eyewitnesses of the accident. I hope that this description will assure you that even in such a horrible event Jamin's last moments on earth were not filled with suffering.

From what we understand, the night of Wednesday December 13th 2006 Jamin enjoyed sorting holiday mail at the base post office with some of his friends until around 8:30pm. Although invited to hang out afterwards, Jamin decided that he should go home and get a full eight hours of sleep . . . something that probably hadn't happened in awhile. As best we know this is exactly what he did.

Thursday, December 14th Jamin arose and prepared to go to a weekly meeting with all of the other officers in his squadron. The meeting was to begin at 7:00am. On the way Jamin was to pick up a new officer that he had volunteered to take under his wing for the first few weeks on base. The drive to Spangdahlem Air Base from his apartment in Speicher is approximately 15 minutes on two lane country roads that are mostly open on both sides with fields, trees are few and far between.

On his way out of his town of Speicher he approached a car in front of him, which later turned out to have been driven by an airman on his way to base as well. As he approached him, the two lane road turned into a passing zone and for whatever reason J.B. opted to pass this car - venturing into the oncoming traffic lane. This section of road is also curved in somewhat of an "S" shape so what J.B. didn't realize when he began passing the car in front of him was that their was another car oncoming around the top of the "S" curve. Keep in mind too that at this early hour in Germany the sky is still dark and the roads unlit. In addition the roads were slightly wet from a dew or light rain the night before.

In order to avoid a head on collision with the oncoming car J.B. sped up to pass the first car and quickly pulled back into his appropriate lane. As these are country roads there really are no shoulders off to the side of the road so his quick maneuver sent him off the right side of the road onto some grass. He quickly adjusted the wheel leaving a tire arch in the grass to attempt to gain control and get back on the roadway. It is believed that at this point he overcorrected the wheel to the left which sent him sliding along the wet road acrossed the oncoming traffic lane, which thankfully was empty at this point, and off onto the grass on the left side. At this point his brakes were engaged as we were able to see where his tires dug into the grass trying to gain traction. However, because of his speed and the conditions outside, he was unable to stop and the right side of his car impacted a cluster of trees. (The right side of the car may seem unlikely since from the tire tracks it appears that he was heading straight towards the trees when he left the roadway but Jamin probably thought quickly enough to turn the wheel to the left thinking that the side of the car furthest away from him to impact the trees would cause the least injury).

Unfortuneately this side of the car impacting the trees is probably what ultimately killed him. Jamin was wearing his seat belt and all air bags in his car deployed. However, because the impact was on the right side of the car and their were no air bags to absorb some of the impact for his body. It is therefore thought that he died of a spinal neck injury when it quickly snapped to the right. There was no evidence of injury anywhere else on his body. The time was 7:02am. Jamin had been in his car for probably no more than 5 minutes since leaving his house as the outskirts of his town of speicher can be seen from the scene of the accident.

The airman whom he had passed witnessed the whole accident occur and was the first on the scene followed by another person on their way to the base. Within seconds they were at J.B.'s side. However, thankfully his death had been instantaneous and although paramedics did arrive there was nothing to be done.

Below are several pictures that were taken when we as a family visited the site the following Monday. I hope that these give you a better understanding of the sceneario that I just outlined.

Each of us has gone through our own "what if" questions in our head thinking of the many small details that if altered may have saved my brother. It seems that there are so many more things in this particular accident that could have gone "right" than could have gone wrong. However, after visiting the scene we as a family have come to the realization that it simply was an "accident" in the truest sense of the word.

As hard as it is for us to understand and accept, it was Jamin's time to leave us. With this perspective we can then be thankful for several things about that morning. Jamin died with hopefully little or no pain or suffering. He died after a joyful night with friends. And, his accident did not cause injury to any others on the road.

God still reigns supreme and He is still good.

Of that I am sure.

A smile so contagious - A life lived so well !

2006-12-21T23:58:00.000-05:00

Our Family

2006-12-21T23:02:00.000-05:00

As I sit here tonight it is hard for me to believe that a week has passed since I first heard the news that my big brother Jamin had been killed in a car accident. I cannot even explain to you the grief and anguish that I have felt over the last seven days but I imagine that I don't really need to as you are probably feeling much the same way.

There is no doubt that J.B. was an incredibly special person! He was smart, talented in so many areas, considerate, funny, respectful, enthusiastic and humble.

I have created this blog in hopes that we can all share with each other stories, memories, and lessons from his life - so that his death would not be in vain but rather challenge us to be better people and multiply all the good that he was.

I will be maintaining this blog so please feel free to contact me at any time if you have any questions or problems with the site or would just like to share a memory privately with me. I can be reaced via email at molly@mcw.name.