Each Christmas I give my parents a memorial brick honoring a past relative. Imagine my surprise when I accidentally discovered a brick they had purchased for me in memory of a lost friend.

I accidentally discovered this brick while walking across the campus at Colorado Mesa University last Friday evening. This brick located in the CMU's memorial walkway is in memory of my dog Abe who passed away over seven years ago.

Every year I give my parents one brick on Christmas in memory of a family member or pet. Unbeknownst to me, they purchased one for me as a birthday present in memory of my long lost friend. My birthday isn't for another couple of weeks, so my discovering it was something of an accident.

There are several memorial walkways around town, including that found at Colorado Mesa University. The Jordan family has always enjoyed dedicating a memorial brick to someone from our family's history.

This find marks the first time I've received one of these. It's hard to imagine anything more perfect. I'm not a student at CMU, but you can bet I'll swing be frequently to look at this keepsake. The only reason I discovered it before my birthday was because of a rehearsal I attended at CMU's Moss Performance Center. I took it as an opportunity to visit the walkway and see bricks I had given to others.

Typically bricks such as these are used to generate revenue for non-profits. That was the case when we bought bricks outside the Avalon Theatre during its restoration. The same goes for the bricks at CMU. When you look at it that way, it's something of a win-win.

With my 47th birthday coming up, I certainly don't need any more socks, ties, or Star Trek memorabilia. What I do need are things to help me remember those who've come and gone over the last 47 years. What better gift than a memorial such as this?

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