Watching things fall apart right before your eyes is never easy. Out of the blue you get sucker punched with something you never would have expected. When I got the news about Travor that’s exactly how I felt. Trevor is the kind of person who's never met a stranger. Honestly, I've never understood that phrase until I sat back and thought about the boy I've spent a little time with but not near enough. He was partially the physical embodiment of that phrase. Thanks to the power of social media a ton of people are sharing their memories of their favorite ukulele player in black skinny jeans. Even the briefest interactions with Travor stuck out in a person's mind simply because he has a way of making you feel valuable. Travor was eccentric in all the best ways. I couldn't help myself but be fully engaged in everything he did and more times than not I found myself taking away some kind of wisdom after every conversation. If you follow his Twitter or have ever taken a moment to talk with him you know exactly what I'm talking about. But, just in case you haven't been lucky enough to talk to him, I would like to share some of the lessons he's taught me.
1. Laughter can fix everything.
We spent a lot of long afternoons/evenings backstage working on our high school's musical my senior year. Naturally stress was high and we often had to do the same scene over and over again. In the moments we were standing in the dark backstage he would often lean in close and say whatever was on his mind that would make people laugh effortlessly, boosting morale in a way that only he could. No matter how late it was or how tired we were, he was always ready with a story to lighten the mood.
2. Be bold.
Watching Travor do anything was enjoyable but watching Travor talk to girls was almost on the level of watching a sculptor do his work. The guy was smooth in a weird way. He really could care less about how other people felt about his forwardness. When we would stand around in the fine arts hall he would have his shirt off randomly within seconds for no reason. I will never forget finding out he bleached his long brown hair to a practically white blond color. Most normal people would have looked awful, but for some reason, only God knows why, he pulled it off. It made him even cooler than he already was. He took risks because he knew that the people who loved him would support him and if you didn't support him he would find a way to convince you.
3. It doesn't take age to be wise.
I will never be able to paint a good enough word picture for anyone to actually understand the complex layers of Travor Brown. He's the kind of guy that runs around in shirts he bought at Goodwill and draws all over himself with a black marker in class but in the drop of a hat can say something that literally makes you pause for a second and think. At face value he is goofy and easy to get along with but after spending time with him you realize he so much more than meets the eye. It would have been so easy to write him off but allowing him to show me all his colors was one of the best things I've ever done.
4. The importance of family.
When I met Travor, I also met his stepbrother Austin who I might add is equally wonderful. The two are a match made in heaven. You wouldn't believe they weren't blood brothers. Over and over again, I witnessed a young man who would do anything for the people he loves. This extends far beyond his family and into his friends whom he loves and spoke highly of every chance he could get. I strive to show love the way he did.
5. It doesn’t take long to leave your mark.
17 years is not a long time, it's not even two decades. It's not long enough to graduate high school or become a legal adult. It's not long enough for the government to grant you any rights. What Travor Brown did with only 17 years of life is one of the most important things he left behind. He was passionate and his own kind of smart. He was immensely talented in ways that seemed so natural. No instrument was too hard to master, no song was too hard to strum and no person was too closed off for him to find his way into their heart. He took 17 years and did with it what takes some people a lifetime. From now on saying that I'm "too young to make a difference" is no longer an option.
6. Everyone has black skinny jeans.
You can take this wisdom at face value, literally everyone has black skinny jeans. They go with everything, they are slimming and can pull an outfit together. *I’m wearing them right now actually* but if you want to look at this from a deep sentimental side, this also shows just how similar we all are. Trevor had a way of showing everyone just how alike they are. He was the glue that bonded together unlikely groups of people, and watching his impact come to life through other people's memories of him shows just how diverse his sphere of influence was.
7. Everything is beautiful if you find the right angle and filter.
This guy took some amazing photos! He captured things in ways that made any and everything look like art. When he wasn't behind the camera he had a way of making you feel like the most beautiful person he had ever seen. In the quick seconds he interacted with you before running off to get into whatever trouble he was about to get in he always made sure to compliment you in a genuine way that can only come from someone who truly saw you in a positive light.
The time we got with Travor was short but it was so unexplainably meaningful. He turned the short time he was given into decades worth of “good vibes”. He has singlehandedly unified a body of students, including graduates, and I don't think anyone else could do that even if they tried. Please join me in keeping his family in your prayers in this hard time and take a little time out of your day to act a little more like Travor. I truly believe that’s what the world needs.
