Jazmon Blue

A Love Letter to Jazmon Blue from Mom

Jazmon, you were born into love, in the wee hours of the morning, on October 19, 1989, with your brother and grandmother by our side. Your dewy curls and beautiful, old soul eyes captivated us all. It was quite some time before we even thought to look to see what your biological identity was, we were all simply in love with you.

Jazmon, we spent your first dawn together, dreaming what our lives would hold and what our journey as a family would be. Some of the visioning manifested in even bigger more beautiful ways and some of the hardships were beyond what the mind can imagine.

When I carried you within my body, I had a dream that you, this child I had yet to meet, and I would be holding hands as the transition to the beyond unfolded. In my heart I always imagined it would be you holding mine as I transitioned. Never, ever did I imagine it would be mine holding yours, my beautiful daughter.

Jazmon, you had so much to share with everyone, that you spoke words at 9 months and sentences by 14 months. This astounded everyone around you, Love.

Your lifelong curiosity, fascination, and love for people sure inspired your mama to be on her toes. If I stepped into another room or turned my back for a minute, off you were. Out the door your frantic mom went, time and time again, to find you, dear one, somewhere in the neighborhood. There you would be, in someone’s home, introducing yourself and enjoying this ‘new friends’ company (young or old). This wide love for all living things is who you were born to be. Your entire life, you have had human and animal friends. You loved this beautiful feeling of connection.

Oh those adolescent years! Wow honey! We both stretched and grew so much during that time. You found out so much about yourself. A reminder of those times was the star tattoo you gave yourself at 13. “A regrettable decision” your older, wiser self would say in later years, as you lovingly shook your head. During those years, you transformed unhelpful and harmful ways to cope with your pain, into new strengths and abilities. You began to know more of who you were as a person on this planet. Through it all there was always love and belief.

Dear Jazmon, I have yet to meet a person who was more perfectly suited to the profession and passion they pursued. Social worker is what we call it. You, my beloved, are someone who people naturally gravitated toward. They saw your bright spirit and knew instantly that you were a welcoming, safe person to share all that troubled their heart. You saw people’s strengths and named these to them. You held their secrets and pain in a safe place. One often develops this innate ability from their own lived experiences of trauma and pain. You always knew how to balm this for others. We so wish there was more balm like this for your beautiful, tender heart, my Love.

Jazmon shared her gift of Social Work with Helping Services, Northeast Iowa Community Action and Foundations 2. Jazmon’s passion in the realm of Social Work was advocating for and supporting traumatized children. Her plan was to continue on and obtain her Masters in Social Work and become a children’s therapist, specializing in working with traumatized children. Traumatized children all need someone like Jazmon in their lives; someone to advocate for them and help heal their primal wounds.

Jazmon married Tom Boose, they knew each other most of their adult lives. They both longed for their sweet son Silas, years before his arrival. While their marriage did not continue, their mutual love for Silas grew.

The love of Jazmon’s life is her beloved son, Silas. Jazmon, your beautiful, pure loving heart, your own lived experiences as a child, and the service work you provided your community, informed you so much about growing and nurturing this beautiful child. Oh, what a loving and strong mama you are. Jazmon, your love and devotion are completely infused into Silas; into us all. We will carry forward this legacy in Silas’s life, Honey. Your love for him is fully alive. It is ever-present and everywhere.

Jazmon had an, oh so special, relationship with her protective big brother, Steven, who was there from the moment she was born, sharing everything with his little sister. Their love for each other is ever present. As people with diverse interests, they loved to engage in conversations that spurred each other’s deeper thinking and wit. When ‘Snap Chat’ became ‘a thing,’ it was their special way to connect and check in on each other almost every day.

To meet Jazmon you would likely not know that she had an un-diagnosable condition that manifested in producing hundreds of kidney stones; that she was in continual pain most of her adult life; that she survived abuse and trauma; that she had a primal wound that haunted her, her entire life. Jazmon took all of these complicated life experiences and transformed them into the deep and profound gifts of complete acceptance, safety, compassion and brightness that she radiates everywhere.

Jazmon’s laugh was amazing and so unique! You could be in a public place and know Jazmon was there, even if you could not see her, simply by hearing her laugh. It was the sort of laugh that comes from the soul, uninhibited and free. Her smiles were brilliant and shone almost constantly on her face.

To know Jazmon is to know that she loved eating crab legs and sushi like no one we know. She adored, as a child, the colors pink and purple and as much glitter and bling as you could imagine. Her love of brightness, shiny and glittery things, continued into her adult life. Her taste in music was vast and far reaching. Her ipod has over 1,000 songs of the most diverse array of music of anyone I have ever met. She could also pick out the most meaningful, cherished gifts to mark those special occasions, because she listened deeply and knew your heart.

Jazmon fought so hard to be with us all, harder than anyone I have ever known. Her courage to live life full, given all that waned her beautiful body and soul, is a testament to her deep love for life and us all.

Jazmon flew free, with love, on August 17, 2021 at 6:06 a.m. Steven and I held her and loved her through her transition. We are shattered and our love for Jazmon transcends all.

Jazmon loves and is dearly loved by: her son, Silas Boose, her mom, Brenda Burke (and step-father Mwaura Muiruri), her big brother, Steven Burke (and partner Alyssa Lee). Jazmon loves and was an amazing and loving aunty to her nephews Isaiah, Tannin, Karson and Sawyer, who all love her dearly. She loves and is cherished by her grandmother, Fran Burke and grandfather Don Burke, her Aunt Laurie Burke, Uncles Mark (and Becky) Burke, Scott Burke and Brad (and Jen) Burke. And she dearly loved time spent with them. Jazmon loves and is loved by her cousins and enjoyed so many life adventures with them (Josh, Brittany, Ashley, Jarek, Madison, Chase, Liza, Kohen, Logan, Abbie, Allie). Jazmon has invited aunties in her life who have loved her long and fully. They include Kristin, Moira, Liz and Lara. Jazmon fiercely adores and loves her friends and her friends love her fiercely. Together they created a world of connection and fun while being present with each other. Some of the dear friends in her inner circle include CaLee, Jessie and Toni.

Jazmon, your heart is as big as the world. You are always ready to listen to someone’s deep experiences, ready to shine their strengths back to them when they can not quite see their own in that moment.

Jazmon, you show up in people’s lives; you know how to love big. Your love is everywhere. Your light is everywhere.

Jazmon, you are cherished, adored and loved completely.