Love is stronger than death even though
it can’t stop death from happening,
but no matter how hard death tries
it can’t separate people from love.
It can’t take away our memories either.
In the end, life is stronger than death.
~ Unknown
It is with sadness that I write today’s post. After spending a lovely long weekend filled with the one’s I love ~ both family and friends, my heart was full to overflowing by the time I arrived home early Monday evening. Upon arriving home I received some bad news of someone who was a part of my life in my 20’s. A beautiful woman with long flowing hair came into my life through a relationship I had. Their family became my family and visa versa. We shared stories, laughs, wedding celebrations, Christmas’s, new beginnings, plenty of glasses of wine, holidays and so much of life together. My week has been flooded with memories that have made me smile, laugh and cry as I remember a beautiful soul that walked part of my life’s journey with me.
In the blink of an eye, life as people know it can change forever. The day starts out as any other day and then in an instant a brain aneurysm bursts and in that moment life is changed. Sadly, the damage was too extensive and she was declared brain-dead. This week the family had to make the difficult and painful decision that no one ever wants to have to make, and that was whether to turn the life support machines off.
Lorraine was called home yesterday and her soul is free to fly.
Through her death she will help five others live through organ donation. It’s a beautiful gift that even through death our loved one’s can still give such a beautiful gift of life. Anyone who has followed my journey over the last year knows that Organ Donation is something that is close to my heart and I myself have been an organ donor since I was in high school. In fact, it is of such importance in my life that I wear a bracelet 24 hours a days stating that I am a donor and in the event that something should happen to me and my loved ones are not around to give consent, I want them to know immediately it’s my gift to others. Organ donation has touched my life personally and those I care about and it such a gift of life I would encourage everyone to consider becoming a donor.
Life, in all of its beauty, is still filled with sadness. Everything happens for a reason. Illness, injury, love, lost moments of true greatness and sheer stupidity all occur to test the limits of our soul and yet without these small tests, whatever they may be, life would be like a smoothly paved, straight, flat road to nowhere. The people that you meet who affect your life, and the success and downfalls you experience, help to create who you are and who you will become. Yes, even the bad experiences are learned from. In fact, they are the most poignant ones.
You need to make every single day count.
You need to appreciate every single moment.
You need to take from each of those moments everything you could possibly take.
For you may never be able to experience them again.
Life isn’t always fair ~ we all know that and all to often people are taken far too soon.
So never waste an opportunity to tell someone you love them.
Don’t miss the magic of a single moment.
Right now.
Be brave even if you are not, pretend to be. No once can tell the difference anyway.
At the end of the day we need to experience and accept the extremes of life.
Because if the contrast is lost, you lose appreciation.
And when you lose appreciation, you lose the value of everything.
Death leaves a heartache no one can heal.
But love leaves a memory no one can steal.
Lorraine, may your journey to heaven be on a staircase covered with beautiful soft, rose petals under your feet. May you discover fields of endless flowers where you can lift your face to the sun and feel the breeze in your hair and with open arms may you feel only the beauty and freedom of life after life.
Another angel added to the sky, may your journey be full of peace and love.
Rest In Peace.
If you live in South Africa and would like to give the gift of life, register as an Organ donor by clicking the link below.
The gift of life says much about our capacity for great compassion and generosity, and I hope it sends an inspiring message to others about the importance of organ donation.
“The days of our lives, for all of us, are numbered…We know that. And yes, there are certainly times when we aren’t able to muster as much strength and patience as we would like. It’s called being human. But I have found that in the simple act of living with hope, and in the daily effort to have a positive impact in the world, the days I do have are made all the more meaningful and precious. And for that I am grateful.” ~ Elizabeth Edwards (UK)
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