Finding Solace One Sentence at a Time
By Laurie Lee
I wrote “Joshua’s Prayer” just a few days after we lost our boy.
I kept asking myself, how do you bury a child? How do you breathe another
breath or take another step when your whole world stops? It was this poem,
in Josh’s voice, that enabled me to believe that his sweet spirit will always be with us.
Joshua’s Prayer
I am praying for all of you.
Please don’t shed anymore tears for me.
I know you don’t understand why God took me home so soon.
I am with you in spirit day and night.
I promise everything will be alright.
I am praying for all of you.
I pray for you to receive some peace
For my heart will always be yours to keep.
I am praying for all of you.
I will check on all of you from time to time.
Just look for my signs that I am near.
For you know it will bring all of you laughter instead of tears.
I am praying for all of you.
I am now an angel of God.
I have the greatest blessing of them all.
For my love for all of you, will always remain the same.
I am praying for all of you.
Jesus called my name, grabbed my hand, and said,
"Well done my child, well done!" Now follow me home.
So when it's your time to go I promise I will be first in line.
For after you see the Lord you will see me.
For I have always loved you my friends but especially my family.
After the accident, we were overcome by the outpouring of love from our community. For days and weeks there were tokens of love left at the scene of the accident in memory of Josh and the three other young people who died that night.
There Is a Tree That Resides on 4th Street
There is a tree that resides on 4th Street.
With his branches stretching high into the sky.
His leaves swaying with the breeze on a crisp autumn night.
Enjoying the mist sprinkling its moisture on to him while he sleeps.
There is a tree that resides on 4th Street.
Who was awakening from his sleep?
It was five USC Upstate athletes.
Then the tree looked down and began to weep.
For he knew his shade would be forever covering hallowed ground.
There is a tree that resides on 4th Street.
Who saw our Lord and Savior come and kneel beneath?
Four precious souls were now the Lords to keep.
The Lord called each by name: “Joshua, James, Mills, and Sara,
it is time to follow me home.”
There is a tree that resides on 4th Street.
As day approached and voices could be heard.
As friends and family cried and laid flowers, teddy bears, tennis shoes, and cleats at the trees feet. There was a green ribbon and bow nowfastened around his chest.
The tree wore it proud and true because that ribbon is now a remembrance of what happened while he slept.
There is a tree that resides on 4th Street.
For now he is forever scarred.
As the trees foliage begins to fall he is reminded of what took place in that churchyard.
For he is now forever standing guard.
This last poem says so much about Josh. He was everyone’s encourager. I guess because he loved running so much he always used the phrase, “just finish the race.” What he meant by that was that we all have hard things to do - but if we cheer each other on - the hard things are easier.
Our granddaughter Laney will never know her Uncle Josh, but at only 3 years old, she knows what it means to “just finish the race.”
Just Finish the Race
You ran with your teammates the grassy hills of the Upstate.You ran with your teammates on top of the Appalachian Mountains.
You ran with your teammates on the sandy shores of the coast.
Son, you finished your race.
You gave strength to those who were weak.
You gave friendship to those who were lonely.
You gave love to all of mankind, regardless of color.
Son, you finished your race.
You encouraged the sick to fight for the cure.
You encouraged the young to stand up and be heard.
You encouraged the mentally and physically challenged to persevere.
Son, you finished your race.
You brought laughter to the sad.
You brought smiles to the shy.
You brought love to everyone unconditionally.
Son, you finished your race.
You are now in heaven running the streets of gold.
You are now everyone’s guardian angel with your wings of white.
Your light is now the brightest star of all.
For this we vow our Son we will, “Just Finish the Race!”
About Laurie Lee
In 2016, Laurie Lee stood in front of the congregation at her home church in Cowpens, SC and shared her testimony of loss and love with over 400 people. Speaking in public for the very first time in her life, the shy and soft-spoken mother of two, courageously recounted the tragedy that resulted in the death of her 20-year old son Joshua Lee, Giving voice to the anguish that is every parents worst nightmare, she revealed the depth of her family’s pain and the source of their strength and hope.
Today, Laurie has lost count of the number of times she’s talked to youth groups and Sunday school classes in the Upstate. What’s more, following the release of her book, Just Finish the Race, Laurie began working with Spartanburg Regional’s Think First program aimed at preventing young people from driving while impaired.
“Josh didn’t drink,” says Laurie, “but on the night he died - he got into a car with 4 friends who had been drinking, including the driver of the vehicle. Had Josh stopped to think first about that decision, he’d likely be here today.”
“Through the Think First program,” says Laurie, “ we use a reenactment approach from the night of Josh’s accident and walk students through the minutes leading up to the 80-mile-an-hour crash. Our hope is to save lives by getting these kids to think about the magnitude of one poor decision and the ripple effect it can have forever. “
To coordinate a speaking engagement with Laurie Lee:
Laurie Lee is on a mission to ensure that fewer families suffer the tragedies caused by driving while impaired.
Her work with the Spartanburg chapter of, Think First, is directed by Mr. Thomas J. Mack, Coordinator for Injury and Prevention Outreach at Spartanburg Medical Center.
To inquire about inviting Laurie to your school or business, please use the adjacent form to be in touch with Mr. Mack.