Lessons from Bryant

Bryant loved music. He loved to listen to music but he truly loved any opportunity to make music. He had many favorite instruments. He loved his drum and maraca. He would constantly choose songs to listen to on his piano. Bryant's favorite instruments were ones which he could play through his trach. He liked to play notes on his recorder but when I would bring my harmonica, which was every time I came, Bryant would ask non-stop to play. He liked to listen to me play the harmonica, but to see him "cough" (big H's Bryant) into the harmonica was exciting. The size of his cough he would make in order to play some music was far beyond his normal cough. Once again, this is just another example of Bryant doing anything for a little bit of a laugh.
Lesson: Laughter!
In these last few days, I have been trying to figure out not only what I was able to teach Bryant, but what Bryant was able to teach me. There was so much he offered me. Most importantly though, was teaching me the power of laughter. Often we are told to live life in certain ways. These methods and techniques often sound great in theory. However, they rarely transition to real life. They are just impossible to enact. Of all the things that Bryant has taught me, above all he has taught me to laugh. To always laugh. Of the importance of laughter. Bryant always found laughter. If he wasn't laughing, he was planning his next joke. I think that Bryant would want all of us to laugh. After all, if we can't laugh at something, what is its value? If something isn't fun, spice it up. Wear that silly hat or giggle glasses. Throw in a few notes from a harmonica. Whatever it takes to enjoy life. Enjoying life. With everything that Bryant endured, he was a poster child for how one should live in order to enjoy life. He wasn't always doing something enjoyable, but he was always, always, finding a way to enjoy it. He surrounded himself with people would laugh with him and allow themselves to be laughed at. Bryant understood the importance of good friends. Their importance is simple: provide that laughter and love that we so desperately crave and need. Let us all remember to laugh. It may not be as easy to laugh as it was for Bryant and it certainly won't be as easy to laugh without him. He was a catalyst of laughter a constant joker and it may take more work for us to be as happy as he was. But Bryant would want us to know that it is worth it.