Courtney always brought people together

This was the scene in my kitchen six years ago. Jerry’s parents making apple cobbler, then snuggling and reading to their granddaughter. They knew it would be the last time they would be with Courtney, their goodbye visit. 
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I remember it like yesterday. It was a visit filled with deep healing conversations, as a family was brought whole again after hurt and division had taken hold. 
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Courtney was always someone who brought people together. We wanted to be better for her to make sure her world was happy and peaceful, so we were willing to do what it took to make it so.
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It’s not easy to forgive when hurt is held onto for years but when faced with our own mortality, it becomes easier to let go when you understand the preciousness of time and how little you actually have. 
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Forgiveness frees the soul.
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Today Jerry and I stood in that same spot and made dinner together, thinking back to this visit. How different our daily life is but oh how beautiful. 
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Thank you sweet Courtney for showing us the way, teaching us to walk in the freedom of forgiveness. Where would we be without you.