Courage for Loss

A good friend gave me a 'COURAGE' key bracelet for my birthday last year. I wore it often as an accessory while it reminded me to be strong. While on summer vacation together, my best friend Melonie found out that her dog Eliza had cancer and her leg needed to be removed. This was a sad time for my friend, her mother passed away years ago from kidney disease and she had to make the same decision to have her mother's leg removed when she became very ill. Although, a very sad time, I knew Melonie was amazingly strong and I passed along my 'COURAGE' bracelet. A few weeks later, Eliza had a successful surgery and she healed very well. She is such a champ and is running around like she has two hind legs.  

As we were happy in this moment, our beautiful friend, Cheryl, lost her battle to cancer. She fought so hard for three years and lived everyday to the fullest. She was a true inspiration and a great loss to so many. The day of her funeral services, my best friend was by my side and brought the 'courage' bracelet. Knowing it would be a hard day for us, we knew there would be someone else that would need it more.  

Cheryl's services were beyond ordinary, before she passed she planned every detail of her services and it made it so special, you could totally feel her presence and it brought comfort to me. During the service, Cindy, her best friend from childhood, was so strong and blessed us with her fun stories about Cheryl which made us all laugh and smile. However, she expressed how much she will miss her dearly. Cindy was by Cheryl's side the moment we knew Cheryl was given only two weeks to live and was with Cheryl as she took her last breath. She had to say goodbye to her best friend way too early. I knew out of everyone, she was the one I wanted to bless with my 'courage' bracelet. Although, Cindy is a very strong woman, she will need to courage to go on without her best friend.

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