Alex! Alexander Lamont Reynolds

Chris, Julie, Alex, Andy, Amy
John, Michael, Zack, Daniel

Best Friends are a gift. Andy met his in the seventh grade. I am not sure if they met on the bus ride to school or in class. But shortly after we moved from Smithfield to Newport News, Andy and Alex got to know each other.

This is an unmailed letter to little Alex... Alex's son.

(I write lots of letters, but don't mail them. This is probably one that could / should have been mailed. When I was in college my mom corrected my letters and returned them with spelling and punctuation errors noted in red. Now I perpetually revise my writing.

There is always more that could be said. Often the letters are more for me than anyone else anyway. Sort of like this blog.)

"Dear Little Alex,

I have known your Dad since he was in the seventh grade. Now you are just a little guy (he was a toddler when I wrote this); so that doesn't mean too much to you right now. But that is a long time. I thought I would tell you a little bit about your dad. It is fun to hear about what other people thing about parents.

Your dad was always a funny kid. He was always laughing and smiling. Of course he was not "always happy", but he always tried to find the best things that happened each day to enjoy. He always had a job. He raked leaves in the fall. He baby-sat for Col Rock's* two boys; they lived across the street from us. He bought baseball card bubblegum by the box and sold it by the pack to other kids at school. Somehow he always had a little money, but never enough to satisfy him.

I admired his drive. Alex wanted to accomplish someting and he worked like it all depended on him. I am fairly sure that your Dad bought his own clothes and his little brothers clothes too. Wow! He expected a lot from himself.

Your dad was the best friend of my son Andy (or Drew). They spent lots of time talking with each other about school or whatever boys talk about. They had other friends, but they just had a special friendship that still lasts today.

As a matter of fact my family just thought Alex belonged with us.... At our house, when we went to see fireworks, or a school play or a football game, or just about anywhere he would go too.... we took Alex because it was more fun when he came too.

Alex & Drew were voted "Best Friends" their senior year in high school. That means that all the 12Th graders knew that when you saw one... if you waited a second you would see the other one. "

When your Mom and Dad married, Andy made sure he could be there as Best Man. Before your dad went overseas, he came to visit Andy's family in Utah. I think even when they are old men with gray hair, they will still be best friends.

I hope you have a best friend. Someone who means as much to you as your dad does to my family. All of my kids (now grown) love your dad. I do too. When your dad talks about his family he is so proud of all of you. He loves you, your sisters and your Mom. There isn't any sacrifice too big when it comes to his family.

* Col Rock is now BRIGADIER GENERAL ANTHONY J. ROCK. The most important skill a leader must have is the ability to know who to trust. Col Rock knew he could trust your dad to take care of his boys. Your dad impressed lots of people early in his life.