Good insights!Thanks so much for writing and bringing us close to your family. Grief is a powerful teacher. Linda did good 👼
May your 50th birthday celebrate your life and special purpose, and allow for a great memory with your friend who carries the cancer!

What a beautiful tribute to your sister...and your friend. God is good. He will sustain you and keep you. I thank Him for His unspeakable love toward us, His creation.

I am the Linda Bale that dropped the mason jars of light at Fred and Janet’s new home, unannounced, at just the moment, possibly, Janet and Kristi, out driving, we’re talking about getting them back.
How is it we are connected?
In what ways do we stay with each other through this life we can see and the one we can’t yet?
I am in the home of dear friends whose son died of a heroin overdose. He was 24. On the back of the memorial card they chose these words from CS Lewis Chronicles of Narnia, Book 7, The Last Battle, the last page:

“But for... (our son)...it is only the beginning of the real story. All his life in this world has only been the cover and the title page. Now at last, he is beginning Chapter 1 of the Great Story which no one on Earth has read, which goes on forever, in which every chapter is better than the one before. “


This thought gives me hope.

I nod in agreement and wonder at the wonder of it.

Thank you for your thoughts, Kristi. I know Cherie would love to be at your own 50th. I think of Cherie often- probably more than I would if she were alive, to be honest. Because then she was here and now she's elsewhere. Loosing a sister has got to be one of the hardest things in life- she was around since you were born. Your sister and you are the same age difference as me and mine, and I can't imagine anything happening to her. Take care and keep writing when needed. Happy Birthday! We'll see Cherie again one day, I believe that.