Derrick Tribute
It was not anything dramatic.
No speeches. No spotlight.
It was the way Derrick noticed when someone was standing alone and made room beside him, as if belonging were something you could simply offer without asking. It was the way he listened, not to respond or to fix anything, but to let someone feel heard for a moment longer than the world usually allows.
I remember a day when everything felt heavier than I could carry. Derrick did not try to take it away. He just stayed. He made a small joke, the kind that does not demand laughter but invites it. In that moment, he reminded me without saying so that I was not invisible and that my presence mattered even when I did not feel strong.
That kindness stayed.
It still does.
People say time moves on, but some gestures do not fade. They settle quietly into who we become. When I choose patience instead of irritation, when I check on someone I could easily pass by, I realize I am still carrying a piece of what Derrick gave freely, without knowing how far it would travel.
His kindness did not end.
It continued through other people.
It continues now.
