This is my eldest sister Bets.
She is one of my heroes.
Thankfully, I was able to tell her that before she died, a year ago today.
Bets had lots of challenges in her life.
She taught me a lot about living despite the hard times.
She LOOKED TO THE LIGHT.
Again and again and again.
She celebrated life by creating joy and beauty in her day.
Bets looked for things to celebrate.
When there wasn’t a holiday, she would make an ordinary lunch
a celebration and delight.
Even in her very tough last two years of living,
she was honest about the ongoing pain and deep sadness
that she was dying. Bets was gutted to be leaving her two precious kids and devoted husband of many years. And, she was deeply touched by all the love she felt. She was very committed to deep gratitude for the life she had lived.
She LOOKED TO THE LIGHT even amidst such darkness.
It was brutal to witness her slowly die. Thankfully, there was deep beauty too. She exuded such pure love and tenderness.
Sometimes life feels brutiful, both brutal and beautiful.
(Thanks to Glennon Doyle for that word!)
I am still learning to be with it all.
It all belongs, it’s all part of life.
Like Bets, I will be with the darkness and
LOOK TO THE LIGHT.