THURSDAY WOULD HAVE BEEN MY SISTER LAURIE'S 65TH BIRTHDAY

SISTER LAURIE IS AGAIN ON MY MIND. THURSDAY WOULD HAVE BEEN HER 65TH BIRTHDAY. I FEEL AS IF I NEED TO KEEP HER MEMORY ALIVE HERE ON SPARKPEOPLE, PARTICULARLY BECAUSE SHE WAS THE LEADER OF THE "MOVING FORWARD THROUGH GRIEF AND LOSS" SPARK TEAM. IT IS INTERESTING THAT THIS IS THE TEAM SHE CREATED. AT THE TIME, SHE WAS TRYING TO COPE WITH THE LOSS OF HER DEAR 26 YR OLD DAUGHTER BONNIE WHO HAD DIED WHEN HER BODY REJECTED A TRANPLANTED HEART. LAURIE WAS DETERMINED TO RAISE BONNIE'S YOUNG SON SEBASTIAN AND WENT THROUGH COURT TO GET GRANDPARENT'S RIGHTS TO HAVE VISITATION WITH SEBASTIAN. THEN, CANCER STRUCK AND SHE IS NOW WITH BONNIE. THE LAST PART OF LAURIE'S LIFE WAS FULL OF JOY, YET MIXED WITH STRUGGLE AS MANY OF OUR HUMAN LIVES ARE.

MAY EVERYONE FOCUS ON THEIR BLESSINGS AND NOT SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF. WE ALL HAVE LOVED ONES WHO ARE NOW SPIRIT AND THEY ARE FREE FROM HUMAN SUFFERING. RECOGNIZE JOY AND SEE IT IN AS MANY PLACES AS POSSIBLE. RELY ON HUMOR WHEN AT ALL POSSIBLE.