We mourn today, although we should not. We should rejoice that our lives were so touched by something
as good and inspiring as Jonathan. We do not mourn because we fear for his soul. We mourn because he
was such a bright light in a dark world that life cannot help but be achingly dimmer now. His beauty and
grace unmatched, and his integrity, faith, kindness, and love cannot be fully articulated. If one were trying
to describe what God hoped human beings would become, he would look no further than Jonathan.
He possessed every virtue that those who hope to improve themselves strive to obtain. Those who knew him,
loved respected, and admired him, and they will never forget him.
As for me, my only regrets are that no woman will have the great honor of being his wife, and no children
will have the incredible fortune to call him father. My children will have no personal experience of his
great kindness or the opportunity to be at the receiving end of his fantastic sense of humor and
Kalbachesque sarcasm. However, I will make sure they know from the very beginning how incredibly
special their uncle is, and what a gift was his mere presence on this earth.
As easy as it would be to lay angry blame on God for taking this brilliance from our lives so soon, I know
that that is irrational and unfair. Jonathan's soul is the purest, noblest, and kindest that I have ever known.
He truly was too wonderful to walk for long among those of us who are so much more fault-ridden. Of
course, being who he is, he would scoff at such high praise, but that does not make it any less true.
I am not angry, I grieve with every cell of my body and every aspect of my being because I will simply
miss his light in this life and because I cannot help but be jealous (and slightly annoyed) that he embarked
on the greatest adventure of all without me.

Hope