"And so I conclude with a few words about my friend Amy Martin. I knew Amy in Alaska. I worked with her for 5 years and was friends with her for all 12 years I lived there. She was a school teacher, she was a mom, she was a sparkling diamond, and she had a wit that could cut that diamond. Amy was Inupiat and Norwegian - she was 5'11" with blonde hair and those wicked high cheek bones that you recognize from National Geographic shows. Amy grabbed life everyday and shook it until a nickel fell out. She found out that, in addition to a baby boy growing inside her, she also had a tumor. 2 hours after giving birth, she began course of chemo to treat an advanced stage of ovarian cancer. Last week after 4 years of smiling through battle after battle, she lost the war. 300 people came to a memorial service at her school in Juneau. It truly is too bad you guys did not get to meet her. Remember when Kenrick invited his Detroit friends down to Daytona one year and he/us got see two worlds of buddies collide? Well, sometime I'd love to see my Alaska world meet up with my other worlds. But perhaps its the perspective of distance that keeps things clear. Can you recall last week any clearer than a Saturday night in the first floor apt. of Kenrick's FM Beach house?
The earth is not that big, gentlemen. Lets try not to step on the small flowers that grow underfoot and not miss the sunsets on a special day - which is today."
Of course, this photo does not go with these words, but it could have. I would swap, in a minute, the chance to have been at Amy's memorial rather than giving this presentation at a company meeting. Happy Easter - Christ is Risen. Christ is Risen Indeed
2 comments:
Sorry to hear about your friend Amy. Cancer is a scary thing having lost several acquaintances to it. You look very nice with the beard. Linda says mine is getting a lot of grey in it when I don't shave for couple days. Well March is here and gone!! Take care.
John
I am very sorry to hear of this. Cancer has been very much a part of our lives for the last 5 years and it is cruel indeed. Any illusions I have had that people are safe when they have little ones at home have been shattered. Every day is a gift. We have heard this said many times, but watching someone die, someone whose work is by any reasonable person's standards not done yet, will bring it home fast. Christ is risen. We must all not be afraid as Jesus promises us He will be with us until the end of time.
KP
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