Wally, Suzanne, Sophie…. I honor you. Wally passed on three weeks ago. He was my next door neighbor for the past fifteen years. He was a quiet, retired handyman. He loved to fix my lawn mower, snow blower, always puttering around in his yard. Last year my garage door broke so he came over to see if he could fix it. Unable to fix it he resorted to sitting in garage and sharing with me the story of his wife. How she had been diagnosed with breast cancer, survived treatments to lay down on couch, sleep and never wake up. We wept together over his loss, how much he missed her, his anger over his loss. I will never forget that conversation. His deep love for his beloved, loss and anger caused by this disease. A quiet, kind man who woke up every day for over twenty years mourning his beloved. I know they are reunited, happily looking down on us as we carry on.
Suzanne, my dear friend. You are one of my heros. Zen, peace, beauty, dignity words that describe your journey. Walking into your classroom was a gift for your students and colleagues. Never a complaint, always peace, love radiating from you as you battled this disease. Thank you for sharing your journey. I hate the hurts, admire your strength. Thankful for your wisdom and survival.
Sophie, my dear friend and neighbor. You survived cancer to lose your life to pneumonia, not uncommon after battling as you did. Training with you as you built back yourself after undergoing chemo and radiation. Your strength was a pillar for me. I miss you, Max misses you.
Today, each day as I ran your memories fueled me, as did others who are battling, survivived and passed on. I honor you, today and every day. May we find a cure for this beast. Love to all.
literacyfern.com 