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Copyright © 2013 Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin . Use of this site signifies your agreement to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy/Your California Privacy Rights , updated March 2007. 09/15/2013 |
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Chance meeting offers inspiration for
better world
By Lori Zabadal-Dayton
Our last breath. It’s something we will all do. Some of us will live long into
our 80s and 90s, or even reach the triple digit mark. Some of us won’t. Death is inevitable and highly
unpredictable. Never easy, especially on family and friends grieving over the
painful loss of someone they loved and will miss. Most people agree that nothing is more devastating to a
mother or father than the tragic death of their child — a poignant reminder
that we must take nothing for granted on any given day.
A year ago last Labor Day weekend, I randomly met Jonathan Pratt — son of
Constance and James Pratt of Binghamton — at Melody Lake in Willet. My family
has a cottage at the lake, and Jonathan was staying at his family cottage. It was one of those top 10 days. Sunny
skies mixed with big puffy clouds floating around. A day for me to kick back
and bask, read a little and then go for a refreshing swim while my husband and
teenage son opted for boating and fishing.
As I walked along the gravel road leading to the swim area, I noticed a guy in swim trunks resting on the
grass.
Within a few minutes, the guy got up and approached the water. As he passed by, I said a friendly hello.
He acknowledged with a smile and then, looking at the lake, he said, “It
doesn’t get much better than this.”
“Yeah, it’s beautiful here, so picturesque,” I agreed.
He walked into the water until it was deep enough for him to dive like a
dolphin underneath; then his head and shoulders emerged from the surface. “How’s the water?” I asked. That single question led into a
lengthy and engaging conversation, the whole time me in my lawn chair and him
head above water. He said he was spending the summer at his parents’ cottage, “the
green one that sits back off the road.” He told me his grandfather and dad and
family members had built the cottage and that as a child, he and his brother,
sister, mom and dad would spend their summers there, where lots of family
memories were made. One topic led to another. We talked
about how petty people can be. He brought up the word “ego” and the poison of
the beast within individuals craving for control, power and manipulation.
Though strangers, we conversed back and forth like long-lost friends. The more
he talked and the more I listened, he clearly struck me as contemplative, philosophical,
visionary. The sunlight’s rays gave an illustrious shine to the lake as he
treaded water. There was something divine about his gentle persona. I remember telling him
enthusiastically that if I had the liberty of more free time, I would love to
spend it writing, and what better place than the lake for a writer to create.
We carried on until Jonathan’s sister and her son entered the scene, at which
point uncle and nephew swam for a while and hung out at the floating dock while
Jennifer and I became acquainted on land.
A week later, my friend Ann spent an afternoon sitting in full view of the lake
with me. Talking non-stop, we were mesmerized by the perpetual motion of the
waves and the sparkles created
by the sun’s reflection, which Ann referred to as “dancing angels.” As I looked
out at the mellow waves, I recalled Jonathan and our conversation. I shared the
story of meeting him. “What a beautiful soul,” I told Ann.
Eight days later, I perused pressconnects. com and was astonished to see Jonathan’s picture next to a
headline about a “Binghamton hit-and run.” My heart sank and I softly
whispered, “Oh, my God.” I was dismayed and deeply affected.
I texted Ann: “The guy on today’s front page — Jonathan Pratt — is the guy I
met at the lake a few weeks ago. He was so striking. I will always remember the
image of him in the glistening water and the conversation we had. I am so
saddened by his sudden death and I only met him once. I am deeply touched in an unknowing way. God bless
his beautiful soul!”
Jonathan and a friend were pedestrians crossing Main Street in Binghamton on
Sept. 15, 2012, when they became victims of a hit-and-run. The driver, Kevin Buie, who fled the scene, pleaded guilty of vehicular
manslaughter. He was accused of running a red light while turning left from
Main Street onto Front Street, crashing into and killing Jonathan on impact and
severely injuring Joseph Dirig.
One of the many ironies of meeting Jonathan is that although I told him about
my aspirations to write, he never told me that he, too, was an aspiring writer.
I found out from his dad at the funeral service that they discovered an
unpublished piece of his writing. Abundantly thoughtprovoking,
“The Purpose and Love Manifesto” is a tribute to an amazing son, his parents
say.
The book suggests how to create a better life for oneself and for the world. In
2007, Jonathan took a trip to Alaska with Ambassadors for Peace. In an article titled “My First
Trip to Heaven,” he wrote, “I can honestly say I have never been in the same
room with so many people with enormous hearts and minds focused on achieving
peace, to making the world a better place and to moving the earth in alignment
with the Divine.”
None of us knows the hour of our last breath. This alone should provoke us to
gladly awaken each day and keep pressing forward with purpose.
Remembrance of loved ones is honoring and keeping them in our hearts. As my
friend Ann says, “Live with love and love will forever live.” Dayton
is a Town of Chenango resident.
ABOUT THE BOOK
“The Purpose and Love Manifesto” by Jonathan F. Pratt is available at www.createspace.com/4288308,
www.amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com.
Jonathan Pratt left behind a legacy
with his book “The Purpose and Love Manifesto.”
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Copyright © 2013 Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin . Use of this site signifies your agreement to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy/Your California Privacy Rights , updated March 2007. 09/15/2013 |
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