Remembering a life cut short.

 

September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness month.

This month (like the other 11) I’ll be thinking a great deal about my friend Sue who passed away only two months after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

The picture above is from her 50th birthday party.

A surprise party which even at the time seemed a fantastically, perfectly over-the-top celebration of my friend’s 50 years.

Ive spent lots of time pondering how I could honor Sue this month & feeling grateful her family chose to honor her that day and *daily* while she was here with us.

Sue was passionate about helping others.

She was instrumental in both helping me discover my voice and celebrating with me all the small successes along the way.

Sue ‘got’ me.

She understood my tattooed, tutu’d approach to life might LOOK different than hers to outsiders, but underneath it all we were remarkably, remarkably alike.

(A woman I did not know once commented to a woman I did how Sue & I made a motley crue.  That phrasing still inexplicably makes me giggle.)

I feel the loss of her daily and more than ever last week as life here changed so dramatically.

I longed for the dose of tough-love & lovelove I knew Sue would have given me.

My friend Sue’s mantra & life-mission was reminding people that every step matters™.

Every movement toward achieving our goals is a step that needs to be both recognized and celebrated.

Big (like the Kinder) or seemingly small (like a few things I have planned this weekend).

That’s how Ive decided to celebrate my friend during Ovarian Cancer Awareness month & I demand lovingly ask you join me.

A two-fold assignment request:

• Make time this month to STOP, reflect, identify a recent success and *celebrate* you. No matter how seemingly insignificant MAKE the time to recognize a step you’ve taken toward creating the life you desire.

• Make time this month to remind someone else of their successes. Email, call, tweet, blog-comment, visit & let someone know a way you’ve noticed she’s been successful lately.  It may seem silly (hell it may even feel incredibly awkward) but I guarantee you’ll make her day & perhaps, as Sue did for me, propel her onward toward continued success.

And that’s where I leave you on this first day of Ovarian Cancer Awareness month.

No questions to spark your comments.

No please to hit us all up below.

Two simple requests & an urging to git out there and LIVE! on your way.

I know Im preaching to the proverbial choir here, but life is short, People.

Today truly is a gift and indeed why it’s called the present.

Our big ole motley crew walking/jogging/running last weekend in memory of our Sue.