A second year has quickly flown by. The sand seems to be racing through the hourglass ever faster as we get older. Ben and I will always miss Jade’s presence in our lives and we think of her often, especially as we imagine what her thoughts and feelings would be, as we experience the events and milestones of life. It has been a year of significant change for us. While we know she no longer need be concerned with earthly matters, we are confidant she is aware of events in our lives.

In May, Ben graduated Summa Cum Laude from Anderson University’s South Carolina School of the Arts, and is now pursuing his acting career. In addition to performing in four other productions during his senior year, he also staged, directed, and performed a one-man show of C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters as his capstone project, with two one-hour performances on campus, and others at two local churches in Anderson. He will continue to seek other venues for this production regionally, and then hopefully around the country. Each performance was dedicated to Jade’s memory, and intended to glorify his Savior, Jesus Christ. Ben is assistant directing a Shakespeare production this summer in Anderson as his first paying job in theatre, while writing several of his own scripts. Atlanta is a great hub for acting work, and will remain his home base for the time being, as he auditions and seeks work.

In May, Ben returned home to award the first Jade B. Reardon Memorial Scholarship to King’s Ridge Christian School graduating senior Logan Rawson, an outstanding young man, loaded with talent, and an ideal recipient to honor Jade’s love of the Arts. Thank you to KRCS’ Holly Krig-Smith, Kathy Winchell, Jenny Piacente, and Annie Dietz, for allowing us this honor, and for making the Arts such an important part of our lives and for their students. Thank you to so many who have contributed to ensuring this scholarship continues.

Otherwise, the company I have worked at for the past 15 years was recently acquired, and my employment there will end this summer. I will be taking time off in the coming year to recharge, and plan to travel to many of those places we always wanted to go. Then hopefully I can decide if I have one more rodeo left in the business world, or whether it is time to hang up the saddle.

Life is good. Certainly, different than how we planned for it to be, but a blessing just the same. Being alone is not always ideal, but it no longer means only loneliness. God is patient and He is good, and He is always faithful. Thank you for being a part of our lives, and for having loved Jade so well along the way.

In Him,

Jim & Ben Reardon

“May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face; the rains fall soft upon your fields, and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.”