Todd Jason Bryant

West Point, 2002

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Don Hingst on July 7, 2007:

EULOGY FOR TODD BRYANT PLAQUE DEDICATION AT MEMORIAL PARK ? December 21, 2003 We?re gathered here this afternoon to pay tribute to a young man who was taken from us at a very early age. Todd will be missed by family and friends, but today we dedicate a plaque in his memory so that in years to come people will be able to say that he gave his life protecting the freedoms that we enjoy and hold dear. Todd was one of my students at Palm Crest Elementary School. I remember him as lively and full of life. When I heard of his untimely death. I immediately emailed all the teachers that I knew who had him. I had responses from many of them. Sue Carr, Mary Lou Rodearmel and Kathy Blackstock had the very same words to say, ?He was one of my favorite students.? I?m sure you don?t know that Todd has a famous quote, which has been seen by thousands of children since Todd left Mrs. Blackstock?s class. The class had a creative project going called ?New Frontiers.? The project challenged them to think about modes of transportation in the future. Todd stood up and made the following statement, ?Going boldly where no kid has gone before.? Mrs. Blackstock immediately took down his words and those words have graced her classroom ever since. Today if you visited her classroom in Nashville, Tennessee, you would find this sign, ?Going boldly where no kid has gone before! -Todd Bryant.? I believe that an early age he captured the epitome of life. After high school he went to the West Point, and as we all know, from there he entered the armed forces, and we lost him in the battles of Iraq. Once again he was, ?Going boldly where no kid has gone before.? A favorite poem of mine describes the feeling about Todd. It is called ?The Dash in Your Life.? THE DASH IN YOUR LIFE I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend. He referred to the dates on her tombstone From the beginning to the end. (1980 ? 2003) He noted that first came the date of her birth And spoke of the following date with tears. But he said what mattered most of all Was the "dash" between those years. For that dash represents all the time That she spent alive on earth. And now only those who loved her Know what that little line is worth. For it matters not, how much we own The cars, the house, the cash. What matters is how we live and love And how we spend our dash. So think about this long and hard Are there things you'd like to change? For you never know how much time is left (you could be at "dash mid-range.") If we could just slow down enough To consider what's true and real. And always try to understand The way the other people feel. And be less quick to anger And show appreciation more And love the people in our lives Like we've never loved before. If we treat each other with respect And more often wear a smile Remembering that this special dash Might only last a little while So when your eulogy's being read With your life's actions to rehash. Would you be proud of the things they say About how you spent your dash?

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