Goodbye Rosanne

It has been quite a while since I have posted anything in my blog.  I have come upon some difficult times and it has slowed the flow of thought, I am usually so adept at.  First it was an illness that made it difficult for me to focus and more recently, it has been a lack of motivation, but as I sit here tonight, I am saddened to realize  I have one less reader.


My cousin Rosanne passed away Sunday morning July 22nd and today was her funeral.  It was a beautiful tribute with an abundance of family and friends to say goodbye.  Her daughter gave an amazingly poised and moving eulogy. Her children and husband were so brave and strong and her friends and family could not find the words to express their sorrow.  It was a day of indecisive weather, teetering between sunshine and showers, exemplifying the conflict the heavens felt and shared; while they were happy to receive Rosanne, they were equally sad to see the void that would be left behind, in her absence.



As supporters approached and expressed their sorrow for my loss, I could not help but feel somewhat undeserving of their support.  It was not my loss, as much as it was humanity's loss.  She treated everyone with the same kindness and sincerity she extended her family. She was truly compassionate and empathetic, regardless of whether you were a relative or not.  She was a nurse who took on the world as her personal patient, wanting to fix what she could and touch whoever she could with her heart.  To simply see her as a valiant fighter is selling her short.  She braved and battled for five long years to enjoy every moment her life was extended.  She never displayed her pain or struggle, always looking vibrant and happy with what she was given, all while maintaining friendships and traditions that brought her as much joy as her work, as a nurse practitioner.  She lived to give and only wanted, for one more day to give more.



While I sit and think about the person she was, I am forever grateful that I was fortunate enough to have spent some time with her, enjoying the spirit she was and the soul she has infused in all, who have crossed her path. She has left an interminable impression in the sands of time, enticing any and all beach-shore visitors, to try and replicate the footprints, she has left behind.  A challenge we would all be the better for. 




Thank you for leading us all to the shoreline of sweet sincerity.  You've made me want to be a better person...all my love Rosanne, sink into the sand and rest in peace.