In the company of their loved ones and fellow first responders, I’ve been humbled to attend recent memorial services to honor the lives of Detective William Osborn, Detective Joshua Kelley-Ekland, and Detective Victor Lemus, the three Los Angeles County Sheriff’s detectives who tragically passed away in an explosion last month.

During each one of their memorials, I’ve been struck by what it means to lead a well-lived life. Each of the detectives had dedicated themselves to service and sacrifice, not only while on the job, but also in their everyday lives with their families, friends, and communities.

At the service for Detective Osborn, I was moved by a poem that was read entitled “Present Tense” by Jason Lehman. In the poem, Lehman writes about how we are often tempted to look ahead toward the next thing in life without being content in the present. It was a poignant reminder of the importance of living each day with gratitude, being at peace in our current circumstances, and ensuring we don’t miss the moments we’re experiencing right now.

I hope these words resonate with you as they did for me. I also hope we can remember the lives of these three brave detectives, whose legacies will continue to have an impact for many years to come.

Present Tense
by Jason Lehman

“It was spring, but it was summer I wanted,
the warm days, and the great outdoors.

It was summer, but it was fall I wanted,
the colorful leaves, and the cool, dry air.

It was autumn, but it was winter I wanted,
the beautiful snow, and the joy of the holiday season.

I was a child, but it was adulthood I wanted,
the freedom, and the respect.

I was twenty, but it was thirty I wanted
to be mature, and sophisticated.

I was middle-aged, but it was thirty I wanted,
the youth, and the free spirit.

I was retired, but it was middle-age, that I wanted,
the presence of mind, without limitations.

My life was over,
but I never got what I wanted.”