How many times as a parent have you wished those little bundles of joy had come with a training manual?

I know there were times I certainly did.

Then, as a parent, when that empty nest syndrome arrived, I remember thinking that my concerns for my children might ease somewhat.

Oh, silly me. Why should I expect that?

Distance and absence from my sons in many ways only added to my concerns and prayers for them.

OK, so, surely, when they get married and, later, become parents, life might settle down then.

Wrong.

There still were concerns, still were needs for prayer.

Then there are the granddaughters — all four of them. Each is unique and special, and each has her own set of needs for prayer.

While all that prayer might seem enough to drive a grandpa batty, honestly, for me, it is a wonderful way to keep my family at the forefront of my mind and heart each and every day.

The truth is being a parent and, subsequently, a grandparent means that prayer and love never ends, never lessens, never disappears. Just as it was when my sons were growing up, it still is a 24/7 occupation that is part of that training manual that you never saw but which you came to learn, anyway.

As school ramps up soon across Northeast Michigan school districts, it is a good time to remember just how beneficial those prayers could be for our schoolchildren and school staff.

And, these days, who couldn’t benefit from a prayer each morning?

***

While on the subject of prayer, I certainly remember all the prayers that had gone up for Michigan State Police K-9 Bane back in fall 2010.

Bane and his handler, State Police Sgt. Jamie Bullis, were searching for a missing Alzheimer’s patient in Presque Isle County when Bane got lost. The two were in a thick swamp when a spooked deer bounded off and Bane became separated from Bullis.

As days blended into weeks and weeks into months, searchers continued to look for Bane. It wouldn’t be until a year later that a resident shared with State Police officers the name of a suspect who allegedly shot and killed Bane. While an investigation was conducted, there was not enough evidence to bring charges against the suspect.

Bane and five other State Police K-9s were honored earlier this month with a Fallen Heroes Monument. The six dogs all died while on duty, but their sacrifice is remembered by the memorial on the lawn of the State Police Training Academy.

Bane’s service to the Michigan State Police-Alpena Post was invaluable over the years as Bullis and Bane became the perfect partners at work. Bane’s disappearance was especially hard on Bullis, who would spend hours in the woods in search of his partner.

The memorial is a fitting reminder of the service K-9’s have performed for State Police over the years.

Fallen heroes should be remembered, thus we are glad for this special recognition for Bane.

Bill Speer recently retired as the publisher and editor of The News. He can be reached at bspeer@thealpenanews.com.