11/20/2025
My Son — A Mother’s R.I.S.E.
Robert Darnell Champion —My Son—
how do I capture the fullness of you
in only a few moments in time?
Even now, this task feels too daunting, too heavy, too overwhelming for my conscious thoughts.
So I close my eyes
and breathe in the precious memories of your presence,
hoping to gather even a fragment
of the light you carried so effortlessly for me within you.
In a spirit of deep gratitude,
I journey back through the 26 years of sacred seasons we were blessed to share on this earth together.
In those cherished moments,
you taught me lessons this world has no language for which to speak:
lessons of unconditional love,
of quiet courage,
of dedication woven into your every step,
of perseverance that refused to bend,
and tranquility that felt heaven-sent.
Through the life you lived my son,
I learned how to love more freely—
with fewer walls.
Through your passing my son,
I learned how to live more meaningfully—
with intention,
with clarity,
with a heart deeply wounded and stretched wide by grief
yet still beating with gratitude and purpose.
You revealed strengths in me
I never knew were mine,
and stirred a faith
I never knew I needed.
Even now,
you continue to push me—
to R.I.S.E. (Reaching Inspiring Serving Empowering)
To reach inward,
stand taller,
dig deeper,
and offer my best…
then rise again,
and outdo myself once more—
for the sake of growth,
for the sake of change,
for the sake of renewed purpose beyond grief,
for the sake of love.
Thank you, my son,
for being both my greatest joy
and my greatest teacher.
You continue to live in every breath I take,
every prayer I whisper,
every quiet moment where your memory shines through.
You are forever a part of me—
a light that time cannot dim,
a love that eternity cannot erase.
I will forever cherish the memories of your late nights soulful renditions of, “Ribbon in the Sky for Our Love.”
