Freshly fallen snow,

Few things are more beautiful, more peaceful;

Like life, the beauty of snow can mask and cover

What really lies beneath.

Dates are very strange.  Honestly, what is the significance of a date?  For a birthday, are we really that much happier to have the person around on that day?  For an anniversary, do we really appreciate and love the person that much more on that day?  You can tell that my answer is probably no. 

I think about Simon alot.  In fact, grief and sadness does not wait around for important dates.  However, despite this healthy does of cynacism, there is something eerie about his birthday and the anniversary of his death. 

For the past four years, we have gone away for his anniversary.  He died in our house so we don’t want to be here on the night that he died.  It is tragic enough to replay the events of the evening from a resort.  We don’t need to be at the scene. 

Last night was our first 1/24 at home since January 24, 2005.  As we drove back into the neighborhood at 10:45, exactly one hour after we had found Simon, I had flashbacks of the snow and ice covered streets.  I remembered running across my lawn, in slippers through six inches of snow, to a neighbors house as I tried to perform CPR.  I remembered the stillness and quiet as we returned home from the hospital without our son.

As the years go by, the constant intensity of the pain subsides, but the memories and visions remain crystal clear.

Last night, our Board got together to reflect on the last five years.  We also started to look ahead at the next five.  I want to share a realization that I had . . .

Simon’s Fund was born out of our tragedy.  Simon would not be here anymore.  However, just like he would have grown through the years, so too has his organization.  It started as an infant.  We were very gentle and cautious in the beginning.  We showered it with love and understanding.  We saw tremendous development.  We imposed limitations. 

However, now Simon’s Fund is five and ready for more.  We are ready for more.  It seems like we needed five years to digest and process our tragdy.  We needed this time to grow and realize.

So here we are.  More screenings.  More fundraising.  More impact.  Sparing more families from suffering the consequences of sudden cardiac arrest.  Saving more lives.  Stay tuned.