Valley of Shadows

I'm going to bring up a different topic today, something that we all are touched by in our lives: the loss of someone we knew.

Yesterday, I found out one of my colleagues, who actually lived down the street, could no longer fight her disease with brain cancer. Because the family wanted to keep the hospice stage limited to her very closest friends, colleagues, and family, I wasn't able to say goodbye, but I respected her wishes. Hopefully, we will still be able to do something for the family in the next few days...or months, as needed. She was courageous to the end, and I am saddened as she was one to bring tomatoes out of her garden to our house, and I made some nice meals out of the sauces created from them.

Two weeks ago, my niece's spouse lost his dad to cancer. He was in his late 50's. Cancer also.

Another friend lost his dad to lung cancer on July 7th. He was in his 80's, but still, one always feels sad about losing a parent.

Cancer has an ugly face.

I will say more about what we can do about this later. But for now, my heart aches for all who have lost a loved one lately. May they be embraced by love and peace.

Update, July 20: I attended the memorial service of the colleague last night. Her brother-in-law led the service and read things about her that embody the same characteristics that Jimmy Carter talked about on the podcast with John Edwards, (released yesterday) about what we look for in a President: grace, flexibility, decisiveness, empathy, courage, and transparency (honesty).

What struck me was that I wished I had had more time with my colleague to get to know her better. We had far more in common than I knew. But I realized I was lucky to be acquainted with her as a neighbor and certainly as a professional.

Amazing grace.

Tags: John Edwards, Jimmy Carter, Presidents, leadership, characteristics, professionalism, special librarianship, grace, Benny's World, cancer, death, shadows