Tonight was a big night in the life of our young friend Jackson Barrow – his 18th birthday. It seems like yesterday that Jackpot (that’s his nickname – don’t call him Jack!) was the cutest 1 year old in town, over whom every female between the age of 4 and 104 was swooning. And 17 years later? Nothing has changed! 🙂
We have loved Jackson every step of the way – and have been so happy to see him grow up into such a fine young man. I remember a moment when both Jeff and Kate were bursting their buttons with pride- because Jackson had won two awards from his soccer team . . . MVP as well as the Sportsmanship Award. And for as cool as it was for them to see their son win that first award, I am certain that they were even prouder of him for winning the second. For all of his gifts and abilities, what has really set Jackson aside more than anything is how much he cares about other people. And time and time again, Jackson has proven to be the kind of guy who would reach out to awkward kids who were not part of the Cool Inner Circle of the student body. Jackson has managed to avoid that In / Out . . . Cool / Uncool garbage that seems to govern so many kids his age. (And some adults I know as well.)
We have so many great memories of Jackson – but one of our favorites was also one of the rare moments when young Jackson – 3-years-old at the time – went from sweet happy child to screaming raving lunatic. It happened one day while Kathy and Kate were shopping at Southridge Mall with Jackson and his new baby sister, Anneka. Jackson was normally such a cute, happy child (that might have been the same shopping trip where Jackson waltzed up to complete strangers and announced to them, with a big smile on his face, “Never Talk To Strangers!” He remembered his mom’s speech even if he didn’t quite grasp the point of it.) Anyway, in the middle of this shopping trip, Jackson started going absolutely ballistic and was so out of control that finally they had to exit the mall, with Jackson kicking and screaming and I’m sure onlookers wondering if the police should be called. It was only on their way home and Jackson had calmed down enough for Kate to ask him what in the world was making him so upset . . . that Jackson plaintively asked “Why can’t Kathy be MY Grandmother?” Jackson had apparently just heard that Kathy would be Anneka’s godmother and he was feeling a bit jealous about that. (Apparently he didn’t bat an eye over the fact that I was to be Anneka’s godfather.) I’m not sure what was said, but Jackson came to realize that his Aunt Kathy would always love him to pieces . . . and that has indeed proven to be the case.
Tonight, right before the cake was cut, we gathered around as Jeff said a few words about his son. And as always, his words were Perfect! He talked about Kate being pregnant while they were serving a bible camp in rural New York state – 40 miles from the nearest hospital – and how immediately after Jackson was born, he pee’d on the doctor. “Well, it looks like that works!” the doctor said. And although Jackson was one of those blue babies for awhile – and yellow for awhile as well – he eventually turned out to be a healthy and happy child. And then Jeff went on to say, with a slight catch in his throat, that he and Kate were so proud of Jackson for many things- but most of all for how much Jackson has cared about his friends. And as we all applauded those words and the neat young man for whom they were spoken, I thought to myself that it can’t be easy to be paying tribute to your one and only son on his one and only 18th birthday . . . which made these perfectly chosen words all the more moving.
Jeff and Kate Barrow have achieved some great things in their respective lives and professional careers . . . but tonight reminded me that nothing can possibly equal the satisfaction they have to feel at being the parents of Jackson and Anneka.
pictured: Jeff in mid-speech, getting laughs all around. Jackson is at the left of the picture, in a gray t-shirt, laughing as hard as anyone. Kate is immediately to Jeff’s left. Just look at the joy on all of those faces.