Cis

This week has been tough. Losing someone who is still breathing is hard, but losing someone because they stop breathing is excruciating.

I got the call early Thursday morning. While the news did not come as a shock (unlike my father's passing 4 years ago), it was nevertheless hard to swallow. In this life Cis was a wonderful, caring, compassionate woman. I met her several years ago in Ft. Worth, and was immediately struck by her kind spirit and generous nature. Affable and easy-going, Cis was a care taker and a nurturer. In many ways, that it was I needed at that point in my life, and we immediately clicked.

Over the course of the past several years, we grew close, and established a sister-like relationship that is not often found with in-laws. Really, it was hard not to. Cis and her family are WONDERFUL people, and I was blessed to spend time with her and become part of the extended family.

Holy Week is a sacred time, and it is fitting that this year the first day of Spring falls within it. As a time for renewal and rebirth, it seems appropriate that her transition happened within this special period. Even though it is difficult for us to understand the whys and hows of God's plan sometimes, and even though death is a hard lesson to grapple with, I am so grateful that Cis has found peace and comfort and was able to do so during this week of Spiritual Renewal.

As Lao Tsu stated in the TAO TE CHING:
Returning is the motion of the Tao
Yielding is the way of the Tao
The ten thousand things are born of being
Being is born of not being.

Blessings to her family and friends as they move through this period of grieving.