By Terra Avilla
One of the best blessings in life is that as of today, no matter how old you are, you have not met everyone you are going to love yet. Or people that are going to love you back, and that is incredibly uplifting.
With every hard goodbye that I have, I remind myself of this, and sure enough, God continues to bless me by placing some wonderful people in my life.
This week, I want to highlight one of those wonderful people, who came into my life just over a year ago, and I am so lucky that our paths crossed. His name is Tyson Borm and he is just a wonderful, wonderful human.
I met Tyson through Jiu Jitsu and he was incredibly welcoming. But not only to me. Any and every new student in our gym, Tyson is always one of the first people to welcome them, taking time out of his own training to help teach them. Consistently pulling them aside to teach them or show them how to do some of these tricky moves.
When I started teaching the Tuesday classes (and adult and kid’s class), I was so lucky that Tyson offered to help me. Teaching future little ninjas is something our main instructor (Coach George) makes look so easy in his classes. In mine, I find it challenging to focus all of their energy on what we should be doing.
That’s where Tyson comes in. He is so great with them, helping me where I fall short. The kids love Coach Tyson, and I am so thankful that he volunteers his time to help.
It would make sense though – him having such a great teaching ability – being that is the profession he has dedicated his life to. Tyson teaches at the prison, and I am certain that he excels there as well.
When Tyson isn’t at work or at Jiu Jitsu, he is spending time with his beautiful children and his wife. I get to see Tyson interact with his children (as they take jiu jitsu too) and it always makes me happy.
His children love him and respect him. Tyson also somehow finds time to volunteer for Boys Scouts of America, where I am certain he is helping those kids more than he knows.
Tyson has a kind heart and very calming spirit. Recently, after my dad passed, Tyson loaned me a book about grieving. The book helped me tremendously, however, before I gave the book back to him, I noticed that my toddler had colored inside some of the pages.
My heart sunk. I saw on the inside cover, a note written to Tyson from one of his friends, for Tyson, when his parent passed.
Oh. How I had a pit in my stomach. Of all the books my kiddo chose to color in, it had to be one loan that most definitely had sentimental value.
I purchased a scribble free replacement and presented Tyson with both books. A new one, and his now, newly decorated book. I apologized and told Tyson how sorry I was.
Without hesitating, Tyson said, “No it’s all right, now when I look at the colorings, it will remind me that this book helped my friend.”
I almost started crying. Tyson told me to keep the newly purchased book to either re-read it or pass it on to someone else who might need it. Because that is how his spirit is. Kind.
I am so lucky that I met him (and his family). They are a constant reminder of friendship and love that is still yet to come, and of course a reminder on why I Love where we live.
