Never Done, Just Due

If there was ever a mantra that fits the world of journalism to a T, it’s the saying, “It’s never done. It’s just due”.

Someone told me this early on in my public relations career, most likely because I have a hard time deciding that my writing is completely finished.  If you write for a living, you know what I mean.  A piece of writing that appears to be “done” at one moment can go through more and more rounds of edits until the deadline is upon you, and you simply must stop working on it. Oh, how you could use just a few more days, a few more hours, or even just a few more minutes to finish the work.

“It’s never done. It’s just due.”

Ian was a writer, too.  It was in his high school years that I recognized his knack for it, as did his teachers. His research was usually quite solid and his thought process on point, but what really made my heart soar was Ian’s ability to turn a phrase with flair and style.  He was on his way to being a true wordsmith.

Writing in college was a breeze for Ian.  If you know him at all, you’ll remember he ran quite a busy little life with work, school, his lovely girlfriend and various thrill-seeking hobbies. So, he often saved his writing projects for the night before the due date, like so many college students do. Burning the midnight oil was Ian’s mantra!

As he entered adulthood, I remember sharing with Ian the phrase “It’s never done. It’s just due.” in hopes of inspiring him to build in enough time for drafts and reiterations of his writing projects. I remember how he nodded his head in agreement and said “makes sense.” It seemed to work. I loved to see how his writing evolved from good to great, with the twist and turn of this word and that.

Shortly before Ian got sick, he really put his writing skills to work for himself after receiving an expensive jaywalking ticket on a little backstreet in downtown Honolulu. A sincere and compelling letter to the Judge was successful in getting the ticket dismissed. He was really learning the power of the written word.  It was fun to watch, guide and encourage him as he grew in so many ways.

Being a “mentoring” mom to both of our sons has been everything to me.  I believe raising Zach and Ian will be my life’s best work. Even into their twenties, I still enjoyed speaking into their lives and helping in any small way that I could to shape them into the young men that they were becoming.

I was still hard at work being Ian’s mama when the Lord called him home at the age of 23. Today, he enjoys eternal life with Jesus.

But I was NOT done.

Nowhere near being done.

I needed more time.

Oh God, how I wanted more time as Ian’s mama here on Earth.

More years, more days, and even just a few more minutes.

Ian…wanted more time.

So much more time.

But…

Ian was never done.

By the grace of God,

he was just due.

See you on the other side, son.