I made a commitment.
I committed to being a friend and being there for my friends in their time of need.
Not everyone can keep their friend commitments. I, even, have fallen in my commitments to people. To friends, to family, to former students, to my children.
I may not be committed to working out on a daily basis, but this time, I’m committed.
Committed to be a life-long friend to my friends.
My friends Heather and Anissa have suffered losses beyond what I can comprehend.
Today is the one year mark of Heather’s daughter, Maddie’s, death.
Incomprehensible.
Heather has told me that she wants to talk about Maddie. She wants to know people remember her sweet baby. Even though I never met Maddie, I have met her mama, and having met, laughed with, danced with, gossiped with, sat in silence with her mom, I know Maddie was a force in this universe. The day she passed, her energy did not continue. It changed.
It changed into a force for her mama to wrangle on the internet and throughout the world. Heather now has the opportunity to share the story of her daughter’s life to raise awareness for preemie babies and their families with Friends of Maddie and the March of Dimes.
It is not the opportunity she ever wished upon herself, nor anyone to wish it upon anyone else. But in the wake of her tragedy, Heather has helped so many other people in their time of tragedy.
I have not forgotten. I have committed to helping my friend, Heather.
I am committed to Anissa.
After Anissa’s strokes and while she was in a coma, I read a post about loss and the commitment to helping in the long term. I’ve thought about the post almost daily by Supa Dupa Fresh, a young widow who knows about surviving tragedy. Please read her post if you haven’t already.
I am committed to my friends. My family.
I will be at Anissa’s home for a week in June, committed to helping her and her family.
I will continue to talk about Maddie and donate to Friends of Maddie and the March of Dimes.
Will you?
