His Name Was Jim

TBHITW's name is Jim.

There are some things you should know about him:

He was a geologist. He wanted to be a geologist since he was 12 years old.

He was a runner. He loved to run.

And bike ride and walk and scuba dive and ski and play soccer.

He loved being a children's soccer coach when our kids were young. He let everyone play, regardless of their ability. He liked to win games but he liked for everyone to get their chance at playing more.

He liked jazz and classic rock music.

He was well read. He read science fiction, Scientific American, Geologic News, The New York Times and best sellers and all the classics.

He wanted to learn how to fly.

He had ugly feet and beautiful hands.

He watched his weight.

He liked me.

He loved being married.

He loved being a parent.

He thought his children were perfect and I had to remind him that they weren't.

He thought I was perfect and I never reminded him that I was not.

He liked to hold hands with me.

He loved movies and Christmas and Halloween.

He loved to eat good food.

He liked dark beer and hated light beer.

He liked to watch football and soccer, but not baseball.

He loved this country.

He loved babies. And dinosaurs.

He was humble and generous and cheerful and funny. No one could deliver a pun like him.

He was handsome, but he didn't know it.

He did not snore.

He never smoked.

He never stayed mad.

He was not afraid to say, "I'm sorry".

He worked all the time. He loved what he did and never considered it a burden.

He was patient with me.

He always fell asleep first. When I heard his even breathing I fell asleep myself.

He always got up before me. And he brought me coffee in bed.

He was a pack rat. He saved everything.

He kept excellent records.

His handwriting was illegible.

He always brought me flowers. For no reason.

He was a very good driver. I always felt safe in the car with him.

He knew NYC like the back of his hand. He knew the streets, the trains, the subways and all the good places to eat.

He believed in God.

He had a terrible memory for names, but not people. He always remembered their story.

He loved rocks and volcanoes and glaciers and all manner of earthly things.

He wished he could go into space.

He was a scientist and loved science. He loved to learn new things and debate old things.

He would have made an incredible teacher.

He taught me how to read a map.

And a compass.

He could identify all the constellations in the night sky.

He could grow a great mustache.

He loved life and life loved him back.

These are some of the things you should know about Jim.