“Wish not so much 
to live long 
as to live well.”  
Benjamin Franklin

Jimmy Melton was our neighbor when Kathy and I moved into our home on Panda Lane in October 1986. He was young, I’d estimate in his late 20’s or early 30’s. He was single. I don’t recall what he did for a living, but I do remember that he lived his life to the fullest. On weekends, I’d see him load up his Jeep with his bicycle, camping gear, or kayak. He was always on the move. He participated in triathlons on a regular basis, and it was not unusual for him to take a Saturday morning bike ride from his home to the top of Mt. Hamilton and back. Yes, Jimmy lived his life to the fullest.

In the mid-90’s, Jimmy married the love of his life. She was delightful, and already had two great children, a boy and a girl. They moved in with Jimmy. A year or so later, they realized that their two-bedroom condo wasn’t meeting their needs, so they purchased a home around the corner on Daffodil Way.

Jimmy also had a dog. A big dog. I don’t remember the breed, but I remember seeing him in the neighborhood running with the dog. One morning in the late 90’s, while running with his dog around the track at the old Blackford High School campus, Jimmy dropped dead. To say that it was unexpected is an understatement. Jimmy appeared to be the epitome of good health. His death rocked our community — and me.

While he was still living in his condo on Panda Lane, Jimmy noticed a small patch of dirt, next to his garage door, which was not maintained. If I remember correctly, the small space was not included in the contract our association had with the landscapers. So Jimmy planted a couple of rose bushes. Even after he moved out of our complex, those roses provided beauty and joy to those of us still living here.

The years of drought took a toll on the rose bushes, and by 2010, they were dead and gone. Since that time, the patch of dirt has remained untouched — until this past weekend when our youngest son, Brendan, decided to adopt the space. Brendan has always had success with growing plants, so he took a trip to Home Depot to get what he needed to resurrect the area. It didn’t take him long to create a beautiful little garden to be enjoyed by all.

Many neighbors have come and gone through the years. Most of those who live in the community now never knew or even heard about Jimmy Melton. They didn’t know of his kindness, his athleticism, or his commitment to doing whatever was needed to make our community a better place to live. I’m grateful for the time and effort Brendan devoted to revitalizing this little plot of land. It looks great, and our current neighbors have noticed and appreciate his effort. Brendan clearly has Jimmy’s spirit of giving.