The phone rang late in the afternoon. Midge answered it and I could tell by her "just a minute, he's right here" as she handed me the phone that there was not good news.
"Our Greg is gone! We have lost our Greg!" Charles wept into my ear and I heeded his and DeJuana's call.
"O my son, Absalom, my son, my son Absalom; would I have died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!"
There is so little difference, from the cry of King David those many years ago and the cry of Charles just a few days ago. It has been the cry of so many parents when the profound unfairness of the untimely death of a child, a creation of their joined lives, occurs. Children are not suppose to die before their parents! And if, as with Gregory, it is an adult child, the pain is no less, nor are the feelings of unfairness mitigated.
The comparison of Absolam and Gregg stops with the outbursts of their fathers. Absolam was an evil man. Greg was a good man. Absolam had declared war on his father. Greg was rejoining his family in Phoenix. Absolam was set on revenge. Greg deeply loved his family and was loved profoundly in return.
But what seems to be an important truth, whether a good man or not, when death strikes your child your response is the same as King David over his evil son Absolam, and Charles and DeJuana over their beloved Greg.
"O my son, my son... Would that I would have died instead of you! O my son. O my daughter"
Death is the great mystery. We are a mystery solving society, We want explanations which are rational, intelligible and explain the inexplicable.
We want them when our cars or our bodies go bad.
We want them when we look at the stars and the planets.
We want them when "bad things happened to good people."
We want them when untimely death takes a loved one.
We want them when we face the mystery of God and Jesus.
But suppose the "mystery" is the reality? We learned the verse in childhood — "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but live forever."
There it is — the mystery and the miracle. The incomprehensible, and yet words of greatest comfort.
The loss of Gregory, father, son and friend, will not soon go away. The sadness that will always dwell in the recesses of your heart — may ease but will never disappear. Our God loves us and cares for us. If our God has given out of love, that same God has not taken out of hate, but will continue to love and support us always.
Some of you may not know, but Charles, with an editorial push from DeJuana, is writing a series of lovely stories.
It seems, according to the initial story, that Charles was sitting on his deck, enjoying his break the fast cup of coffee, when, suddenly he hears someone calling his name. For the life of him he can't find where the voice is coming from until impatiently the voice says, "Here I am on your left shoulder." Charles turns his head slowly and sure enough, sitting on his shoulder was an inchworm. He was standing on his back legs looking intently at Charles.
The "talking inchworm" and Charles soon become fast friends. Although it is never the same inchworm that appears, for inchworms have a very short life span — about as long as each episode Charles has written.
Thursday morning I was dressed for my morning walk, and as I put my foot up on the bumper to tie my shoe, there sat an inchworm! Well, thinks I, if Charles can talk to inchworms maybe I could too. But before I could begin the conversation a voice comes from my bumper— "Hi Robert. Getting ready for your morning walk, I see."
Now no one has called me "Robert" in years except my father and mother. "Robert," I said, "how did you know my given name?"
"Oh we inchworms always use given names. After all they were given to you at your baptism!"
"How did you get out here?' I asked.
"Oh, I hitched a ride on your big car, the other afternoon when you were with Charles and DeJuana. By the way Robert you must not drive so fast, and pass so many cars. I almost fell off every time you went around a curve. But I haven't much time. I know you are going to the celebration of the life of Gregory.
It is Saturday isn't it?"
"Yes, do you plan to be there?"
"Oh no," Inch said, "we inchworms never get that much time! No, I am here to give you a message to all those who loved this man Gregory."
"A message? Inch who gave you the message? And what is it? What's the message?"
"Never mind the first question, but onto the message. "Tell all those who gather Saturday afternoon that Gregory is most fine. He has his mosaic of music of which he was a master. He has access to all his family — Katy and Evan, his father and mother, and his hero 'Robert'. And he sends to all his deepest love. And, oh yes, just know that he will be so present in the hearts and minds of each of you as you gather to honor and celebrate his life. He is most grateful for you love."
"Wait a minute. Suppose I say all this on Saturday. Who in the world is ever going to believe that an inchworm told me this?"
"Oh just a moment, Robert. May I remind you that the "messenger" is never more important than the 'message.' And this is very true of your own living faith. And have you not read 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good tidings, who proclaim peace?' Are not my tidings good?"
"But I understand. You want some kind of absolute truth that I have this message from Gregory. Ah, yes, I believe I have exactly the words that will convince you. Do your happen to remember a phrase that was so characteristic of Gregory when he would hear some criticism or put down of another?"
"No" I said, "You tell me."
"He would say in his quiet way: 'Oh mother, that's an unnecessary value judgment!' Relate that to all on Saturday and my words will be confirmed."
"Got to inch my way on. So long!"
Yes, our cry this afternoon is "Greg is gone! We have lost our Greg!" But there is a greater voice and message of unbelievable hope. Listen as Robert Hale brings that message to us all.
Robert Hale Sings —
"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound
That save a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now I'm found,
Was blind but now I see."
Then all sing the first verse only.
Prayer:
Almighty God, ever-steadfast, with love never failing: speak through the earthquake, wind and fire of our unspeakable grief; with a still small voice calm the turmoil within, soothe the overwhelming sorrow, heal the wounded heart, comfort all embraced in your loving arms. In Christ's name. Amen.
Greg Jones was an award winning music composer for film and TV soundtracks, main title themes, tracks for broadcast graphics, and music for multimedia, His work included feature films, documentaries, independent films, video games, television commercials for national clients, and concert performance in both the U.S. and Europe. He lived in San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Greg Jones graduated from Oberlin Conservatory in 1977, with a Bachelor at Music degree, a major in Composition, a minor in Technology. He graduated from California Institute of the Arts in 1980 with a Masters degree in Composition, Orchestration, and Arranging. He was awarded a Graduate Scholarship
and Teaching Assistantship.
He moved to San Francisco where he became associated with Colossal Pictures. He began his own music business by writing the music for the original MTV Logos and MTV To 20 Countdown, part of the ground breaking launch of Viacom's cable giant Music Television. The MTV logos have also been used in feature films such as Ferris Bueller's Day Off. MTV's rocketing success put Greg's style in demand for broadcast television commercials, documentaries, animated specials, and film.
During this period, Greg won two national Emmy Awards and several New York Art Director's Club Awards for his MTV and Disney Channel work. At one point Greg worked closely with the director of the The Nightmare Before Christmas, to produce graphics and music for MTV. This effort won Greg a Clio Award.
Work followed for National Geographic (G-TV). He also scored an independent feature Steal America. He wrote the score for Paramount Pictures' Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, starring Angelina Jolie. Recent projects also include theme music and scoring work for The General's Daughter, a Paramount Pictures' feature, starring John Travolta, and music for the indie film Just Add Water, starring Laraine Newman (Saturday Night Live) and Liz Sheridan (Seinfeld).
His instrumental pieces have been performed in both the U.S. and Europe, including the prestigious New Music America festival. He composed the score to Max Almy's gallery video Leaving the 20th Century, which was chosen for the permanent collection of New York Museum of Modem Art.
In June 2004, Greg completed scoring for a new feature film My Tlny Universe, written and directed by Glen Scantlebury and Lucy Phillips. Greg scored on-going projects for interactive media, producing work for Time-Life Books, Broderbund Software, and Industrial Design Magazine.
Gregory Hale Jones passed away suddenly in Los Angeles on July 22, 2004. Memorial services were held in Los Angeles on July 27. On September 10, in San Francisco at the Presidio, a showcase of his life's work in music, assembled by producers and colleagues, will be featured at a celebration of his life.
Greg was born in Enid, Oklahoma, on June 15, 1955. He attended schools in Enid, Williamsburg, Virginia, and the University of Oklahoma Lab School for the Gifted and Talented. In Virginia, he graduated from Fort Hunt High School where he was recognized as a National Merit Commended Scholar. He traveled to Vienna, Austria, with Fort Hunt High School's award winning band and orchestra.
He is survived by his two children, Katy, 15, and Evan, 18, of Minneapolis. His parents, Charles and DeJuana Jones, live at 8406 Stockade Drive, Alexandria.
His favorite charities were nature.org, moveon.org, and savetibet.org. His web site is www.gregjones.com.
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Participating in the service:
Rev. Bill Teng, Pastor, Heritage PC |
Remembering Greg:
DeJuana Jones (mother) |
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