For most folks – including myself – the dawn of a new year brings a sense of reflection and resolution. Last year, I found myself surrounded by those thoughts on a different date. On this exact date. April 16th.

Placing Flowers at the April 16th Memorial

Not exactly a national secret is my love for my alma mater, Virginia Tech. If you look back through my sparsely-populated blog, you’ll see that the majority of my posts are related to VT is some way. Some were easier to write than others. Nonetheless, I find myself back in this place again, back on this date – now a full 2 years removed from April 16, 2007. And again, I find myself immersed in reflection.

Last year, I wrote about the need to push forward, to make our world better, to make ourselves better "for the 32." There is still much to do on both fronts (for myself, at least!), but I feel confident that I’m in a better place than I was 1 year ago today. Maybe I’m maturing with age, but I’d like to think that at least a small part of my personal growth is due to the perspective that I’ve gained since the tragedy on April 16th, 2007.

That one word. Perspective. That single attribute has helped me quite a bit. My wife and I have a common phrase that we use now. I think she came up with it, but I like to borrow it as well. Whenever anything happens in our day that is disruptive or creates an annoyance, our refrain is equal parts simple and powerful:

If this is the worst thing that happens to me today, then my life is pretty blessed

Cheesy? Oh you bet. True? Absolutely.

While the sun may not shine as much as I’d like it to. While my work projects may not be prioritized as highly as I’d like. While my morning commute may take longer than necessary – I am, in fact, still alive. I don’t have the physical and emotional scars of those survivors on campus that day. I don’t wake every morning to the pain of a brother or sister, father or mother – or worse yet, a son or daughter whose smile I’ll never see again or whose laugh I’ll never hear again. I don’t have it all, but I have it pretty good. In perspective.

Speaking of my wife, it would be careless of me to reflect on how this experience has shaped my last year without mentioning our wedding on campus this past July. My wonderful wife and I were married only a few hundred yards from Norris Hall, the site of the tragic shootings. The chapel is also nearly the same distance from the April 16th memorial on the campus drillfield. We knew that we wanted to honor those that we lost on April 16th, but we also didn’t want to dampen the mood on one of the happiest days of our lives.

My wife lived in Blacksburg for many years and, although not an alum, I dare anyone to question her Hokie-ness! Still, I could have totally understood if she had hesitation. But in an act of trust and kindness that exemplifies why I love her so, she was not only supportive with a tribute, but excited as well.

So after the chapel ceremony, we lead all of our guests across the drillfield and to the memorial, where we placed flowers on the central plaque and all 32 memorial stones. No formal words were said. There was no need for such. I think the message was better spoken in actions than words. Around here, we never forget. We go about living our lives, but we never forget.

The next day, Stephanie and I returned to the memorial – sans our guests – and placed some remaining flowers, her bouquet and my boutonniere around the area. We asked God to be with us in our marriage, and to help us keep the memory of those 32 victims in our hearts along the way.

I can’t even begin to describe how much those brief moments of remembrance meant to me and how grateful I am to have a wife that is supportive, kind…and a Hokie herself!

So now, another year of reflection begins. Another journey of self-realization and self-improvement (hopefully, right?). What to do with myself this year? How will I honor the memory of those Hokies? Those bearers of our creed – Ut Protism. That I may serve.

I dunno, sounds like a good place to start…