Thanks to all of you who could be here this evening to join Ryan’s family in remembering him after the first year of his death.  This has been an extremely difficult and painful year with the first anniversaries, holidays, and recent memories of his life.  Friends and close acquaintances being with Eileen and the rest of her family are so helpful in the ongoing and ever present grieving process.

A year ago, we gathered to mourn the loss of Ryan.  It was in essence a time of great sadness and sorrow.  Tonight however, in contrast, it is our intention to gather and remember Ryan and try to celebrate his life…..too short but one filled with earthly richness and a blessing to those whose lives he touched.

We thought the best way for Ryan to be with us would be to listen to him.  Hear some of this thoughts and feelings, especially from the last year or so of his life.  He was neat guy.  Sometimes silly and funny, sometimes outrageous and even annoying, yet the sum total was a person who was good, kind, and loved the Earth and most everything that inhabited it.  This is the Ryan that we wish to remember this evening.

Considered certain aspects of his beliefs and behavior that would reflect an overall picture of the Ryan you knew…

Living was to be to the fullest.  His hyperactivity served him well when he was engaged and interested, e.g. birds….always on the go.  Being in nature and the outdoors was his tonic or elixir.  “Being grounded” as a way of changing some behavior was more punitive in nature than a means of teaching consequences…he was like a caged animal that needed to be outside exploring his world.  Not surprising, he responded better to incentives such as outdoor gear or birding equipment to follow guidelines for assuming family and school responsibilities.

3/17/05 – Yeah, I have never gotten a disappointing gift.  I appreciate all gifts given to me because it really is the fact that you know someone is thinking of you.  In life you can’t always get what you want, so appreciate the things you have and receive.  There is always someone who would appreciate the gift you called disappointing; be happy you were able to receive anything.

4/14/05 – Costa Rica was awesome!!! I need to look in the Thesaurus for another word for “Awesome” because I think I have exhausted it.  I am going to live in the tropics and marry a Costa Rican girl.

4/28/05 – My dearest Sally, I will miss you so much.  I still remember the very day we found you.  Mom took me to the park.  I had the option of taking you home or playing in the park; no questions asked; I took you home. We lived such a happy life together.  You watched me grow and I watched you grow.  You turned into the greatest dog of all times.  You were always there for me when I cried, you always gave me your side to cry on, and you soaked up my tears.  You’re not with me right now to soak up my tears physically, but you’ll always live through my memory.  Sally, I love you so much, you were my dog.  Remember all the fun time we had together, remember them! Sally, I will miss you.  I love you, my dog, Sally.  Love, Ryan “Your Boy”

4/28/05 – So Ivory Billed woodpecker has been rediscovered in Arkansas.  This is the best news I’ve heard in a while.  It is really good news from the news about Sally.  It is helping me recover from her death.  Ivory-billed woodpecker still survives?? Ivory-Billed Woodpecker still survives!!!

11/04/04 – You know I really like living.  I feel that I have a great life.  I really feel for those people who don’t have great lives.  I guess it is because I live in a place that has great values.  You know I really don’t like this journal entry and I definitely don’t want to talk about today’s journal entry because it talked about being famous and I don’t want to be famous, I really am not going to write anymore in this entry.

Ryan wanted to expand his world through learning and experiencing new things.  Particularly, the environment and of course, the birds.  He talked about being an Environmental Scientist or Engineer….when he wasn’t talking to his Mom about how to met and connect with girls.  His goal was to teach others, to share knowledge that he had or was learning.  From your contact with him, I suspect you would agree he had already begun.

Date unknown - I feel like I have found a path in my life.  I want to do some type of ecological research in the third world country.  Where human impact on the environment is minimal.  If that doesn’t work out then I would like to do seabird research on tropical islands.  Right now, I have my research project planned out, at least through the end of college.

The big question to me is what is life?  Why is there life?  There are many different theories but are any correct or are they all wrong.  I believe that one can find the meaning of life through the natural world.  Nature is perfect, and if nature is understood in a spiritual sense, then the meaning of life will be found.  However, could it be there is not meaning to life?  Could life be life and that’s all it is?  Is there even a reason for life?  Is there an afterlife or even a reason for an afterlife?

10/25/04 – If I could be anywhere doing anything right now, I would be in South America doing ecological research on the impacts of humans on the ecosystems of the tropical rain forests.  I would also teach many of the villages and towns different methods of ecologically sound agriculture.  I also want to be a professor of ornithology and ecology.  It is so hard to choose where I would be right now because there are so many things I want to do, such as a reporter for National Geographic.  Right now, though I am going to stick with my Rosy Finch project.  That is enough on my plate right now for the winter.   I can’t even decide on a major for college, so I can’t really answer this question!

The following message given to Ryan when he graduated by his mother – the author is unknown.  The following was found in his papers dated June 2005.  This is a wonderful reflection on how Ryan tried to live his life.

Relationships were special to Ryan, especially family and friends.  He loved meeting and being with others; persons of like mind were very attractive and attracted to him.  However, he tried to be open and available even to those who weren’t initially on the same wavelength.  Ryan wanted to learn from others and be a friend if able.  He accepted all and I never heard him criticize another even if there was disapproval or hurt involved.

Next to family, Ryan’s great love and concern was for the Earth, the Environment and “All creatures, great and small.”  He felt these to be sacred and they should be treated as such.  He significantly changed our family’s vision and perspective in t his regard, e.g. compost, recycle, electricity, water fossil fuels etc., and nearly every type of bug, insect, and animal.

09/09/04 - The Chiricahua Mountains are the ultimate place of peace and relaxation.  From all the mountains I have ever visited, a part of me has always stayed there.  From the Chiricahua pines and Arizona Cypress to the Arizona Sycamore.  The Chiricahaus have to be the most beautiful place in America.

4/22/05 –

04/13/04 – I will describe a spruce fir forest.  While hiking through the forest you can feel the soft ground slightly giving under each footstep.  The air feels moist and soft with a slight touch of coolness.  Birds are always singing, woodpeckers always drumming, squirrels always calling and the sound of deer as a branch breaks beneath hoof.  The sight of a low cloud and of fog quickly rolling over and through the trees.  Look, over there, a Blue Grouse with four chicks following quickly behind her.  The sight of the new spring green needles forming on the spruce.  Look at how nature becomes so perfect here.  Smell the needles of the conifers that fill the air.

11/27/04 – This journal entry will not be as long as you like it because it is taking a while to process my thoughts, but I will indeed write for 15 minutes.  The assignment was to find 20 minutes over the Thanksgiving break to sit in silence and contemplate our life.  I choose my spot where I am most comfortable, outdoors in the forest.  I sat for more than 20 minutes just allowing the cool fall breeze to fall on my face.  I allowed my mind to be at peace with my body.  The silence was amazing.  It allowed me to clear my mind and contemplate my life.  Through this exercise, I found that I really enjoy life very much.  This really wasn’t a surprise to know because I already knew that I appreciate the gift of live.  This also made me realize how beautiful the outdoors actually are; Mother Nature if you will.  I realized that I am at peace with everything when I can feel, hear, smell and see the amazing wonders that nature can provide.  This was a great experience!

Eileen (Ryan’s mom) shared her appreciation for all that was done for Ryan’s family; all the love and kindness that have been shown to us during this difficult year.

Sharon is an acclaimed artist, known for her sculpting talent.  Ironically, she knew Ryan from past “birding” experiences and recognized his passion for nature.  Sharon remarked on the privilege to create a memorial piece to preserve his memory.

Ryan Beaulieu was a young ornithologist, environmentalist, and conservationist whose love of the earth and all its creatures and his desire to protect them was but one example of his spirit and wisdom beyond his years. He was 17 years old when a tragic accident took his life on August 27, 2005, during a birding trip in eastern New Mexico.

Ryan was a member of the Central New Mexico Audubon Society, New Mexico Ornithologist Society, The American Birding Association, The Rio Grande Nature Center, Rio Grande Bird Research Group, and an originator and principal bander of the Rosy-Finch Research Project at the Sandia Crest.

Ryan’s gift was his love for bird watching and his connection to nature. His life was filled with the joy of exploration and discovery of nature, and this sustains his family, his friends, and the birding community of which he was a part. This scholarship fund was established “to give testimony to the living legacy of what Ryan gave to all of us as family, friends, and community.

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There you go, leavin it all behind,
Looking down, not even the wild                                           
Bird can reach you

Chorus
Chase that sun, if you dare my son                 
The earth calls your name, its waiting                 2X

Runnin’ fast, no time to wait,
We all thought we had it figured out,                                     
You believe what you want to believe
We’ll just keep on rockin’

Chorus
Chase that sun, if you dare my son                                       
The earth calls your name, its waiting                 2X

Not gonna follow, not gonna lead,
But they understand now, thanks
For the time my friend the earth was                                  
Your playground, that led us to a
Path untraveled

Chorus
Chase that sun, if you dare my son                                         
The earth calls your name, its waiting                 2X

New Mexico son ridin' on a dream,
The earth and the rivers call you                                                
Blazin' a trail, no time to stop
The earth drums out its beat

Chorus
Chase that sun, if you dare my son                                         
The earth calls your name, it's waiting                 2X

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