coffee for your heart ~ #9…a small thing that makes a big difference…
Last night I lost a very sweet friend, KJ. She was a funny, intelligent woman of tremendous talent and heart. She was a brilliant writer and a wonderful wife and mother. Her family meant everything to her. She was a woman of great faith and bold action. There will always be a whole in my life where she should be.
I had planned to write about something completely different this morning but then the news came and I knew what I needed to do.
There is no video this morning. It’s Ash Wednesday and I am writing this late the night before. I won’t be on-line tomorrow. It’s a day of fasting and prayer and now with KJ’s death, it feels even more important for me to spend time in the quiet.
This weeks writing prompt from Holley is ” A small thing that makes a big difference…”
KJ was a woman who paid attention to details. She would remember the shoes you wore three weeks ago or the fabulous cake you made last Christmas. One of her gifts was remembering the small things and making you feel like you could set the world on fire with whatever little thing you wrote, wore or made. She was a natural cheerleader to those of us in her writing circle and to think I won’t hear her British lilt anymore saddens me to my core.
We would meet once a week, the Fab Fairfax Four, latte’s on hand, writers woes on the table. She was a woman of bold action. She took no prisoners and wrote two very successful children’s books and was working on a third. She had dreams and goals and when cancer came three years ago that didn’t slow her down one bit. She knew she would die of this disease, so she lived the fullest life her body allowed.
She was a woman of grit who in the midst of her own battle with cancer would make a fabulous pot of beef stew and drop it off on my doorstep when Courtney was having a hard day. She just knew I would decline if asked, but stepped forth boldly anyway and it made all the difference in my world.
She taught me to have confidence and courage with my writing. She listened when I was discouraged about Courtney or when things were difficult with life in general. She was a wonderful listener.
But most of all she was happy. Always smiling, laughing and she had the BEST sense of humor. Even when she lost her hair with chemo, the jokes rolled on. Cancer was not going to take her joy away. Even at the end she would whisper a word or phrase in answer to whatever we were talking about and she would have us all laughing with her perfect timing.
THAT will always be the “small thing that makes a big difference…” in my life.
JOY.
LAUGHTER.
A SMILE.
No matter what is going on, or how bad I think things are there is always something to take joy from. There is always something to laugh about. There is always something that will make me smile. It’s like God’s little ray of sunshine in the midst of the storm.
A gift to keep me moving forward and focused on HIM.
Now KJ rests with HIM, the one who created her and knew the time and place when she would come back home to Him. She is at peace and no longer in pain. I will miss her so very much. But I know that the lessons she taught me in perseverance and fortitude will stay with me the rest of my life.
She taught me so many things. To be kind always. To smile even if you’re having a crappy day. To encourage before any criticism. To be bold and not back down. To love with ALL you have.
So many “small things that make a big difference…”
Thank you for honoring our beautiful friend with your beautiful post, Mary. My heart is broken tonight, but the love we all felt from Karen is stronger than ever. Sending you my love.
Her smile, her laughter, her fabulous sense of humor will always be with us my friend. Go Big or go home and love with all you have. She will be missed but never forgotten.
Beautiful, Mary!! And I'm printing out "Go Big or go home and love with all you have."
I'm so sorry for your loss Mary. She sounds like a wonderful wise woman. Prayers for peace and comfort for you and her family.
She was wise beyond her years Beth. It was such a grace to know her.
What a wonderful tribute to your friend. I almost feel as if I knew her, just by the way you described her. I, too, lost a friend recently to cancer. I found this quote from Richard Bach to be most comforting: "Don't be dismayed at goodbyes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again and meeting again, after moments or lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends."
Thank you for sharing that beautiful quote Dayle. Thank you for stopping by. It's nice to "meet" you in this space.
I found your delightful space at Holley's Coffee for your Heart today.
So beautiful, Mary. Thank you.
I love this picture of you all!!
Hugs friend!
Well said, Mary.
Thanks Kathryn! Hope all is well.
I did not know her, but she looks and sounds like such a bright light. I am sorry for your loss. be gentle to yourself today as you deal with this.
Blessings Joslyn…
So sorry for your loss, Mary…will pray for the repose of your friend's soul.
Thank you Emily.
Fantastic post, thank you. I am so sorry to hear about your dear friend. She certainly had her priorities right! I am grateful for you (and her) reminding me that there is always joy somewhere in each day. God Bless
She did indeed Rachel. Blessings and Grace…
Such a powerful post. Thank you.
Thank you…