Nov 5th...two weeks ago; we had to say good-bye.

Two weeks ago it was a blustery day and also the day I lost a friend to cancer. Late in the morning on Nov 5th, I kept thinking about my friend Kristie. I`d been meaning to connect with her for just over a month, since I`d served her and her husband, Ben and their 5 year old daughter Laura, at abc. I kept having this nagging feeling that I should send her a message on facebook. So I logged on to facebook and saw a message saying good-bye to her, that had just been posted. I was in shock I couldn`t believe it; that she was gone. Kristie was gone, she had passed just over half an hour before I logged on to her facebook page. I couldn`t help but think that my spirit had been tugged in her direction as she was letting go. I was overcome with grief. I had no idea that she had gotten so ill so quickly; I was so sad that she was gone and that I didn`t get to visit with her one last time. But that`s the thing with youth lost, there`s never one last visit that could ever be good enough; you are always left wanting more. We all would have wanted more of Kristie, especially her family and loved ones.

I found out through her facebook page that Kristie`s Grandmother was barely hanging on to her life, after a long fight with cancer. Thelma Stewart was 80 years old and 35 years earlier she was anticipating the arrival of her first grandchild, on her 45th birthday. Four days later her granddaughter Kristie was born, on August 26th; two birthdays in one week, which they often celebrated together. Then in January 2005, in the same week, they found out that they were ailing a mutual deadly foe, cancer. They fought this beast for some time, often side by side. Thelma Stewart, an incredibly loving and caring Grandmother, surrendered her fight six hours after her granddaughter did.

In the weeks before their passing, they were just down the hall from each other in the hospital. They visited as much as possible and preempted their own fears, for their care and concern for each other. The family believes that Thelma let go when she knew there was nothing else she could do for her first grand. They also believe that Kristie let go first so she could prep the place for her grandma:) She was always incredibly organized:) Nov. 5th was her other Grandmother`s birthday. She passed away at 46 years old from the same cancer that took Kristie`s life. Kristie had life, because her Mother`s Mom was born on November 5th. The same day that Kristie`s Mom would remember her Mother, Nov.5th, she will now also remember her daughter and Mother-in-law. Please pray for Linda and Alex Stewart, they have lost so much.

A week later, Nov. 12th, a week ago,it was a bright and beautiful day.And I had the honour of attending a combined service celebrating the lives of these two amazing women...women who were both taken to soon. Women who are desperately missed by their families and who will always be loved.The service was an incredible and beautiful portrait of an amazing family; a family broken by cancer...broken but not destroyed. In the midst of their deep grief and pain, they could find hope and reason to celebrate.

The service was held where Chris and I got married 11 and a half years ago.Sitting where I`d made vows to be with my husband until death, made this service particularily emotional. Tears that had bundled up for awhile, came freely flowing. It was time to say good-bye. With courage and sadness I wrote cards for the family and a special card for Kristie`s daughter. The family had requested that we write a memory of Kristie for Laura, for her to read as she grows up, so she can know her Mother, like we knew her Mother.

This was a wonderful idea that I hope my family will never have to recreate for my daughters; But if they must, I think it`s a life giving idea.

Think of something you can do that can be `life giving` to someone today; in honour of Kristie and Thelma.