Me (on left) with Carla (on right), just before I went to Australia
I couldn’t help asking God why you got cancer. Why he let it all go on for so long. And you know what? I got my answers.
Because he wanted to give us time to say goodbye to you. He knew that just taking you away suddenly wouldn’t work for us at all. We wouldn’t have been able to handle that.
We needed time. We all needed… time. That was the bit of grace we got.
We never have a problem when God puts a new life here in the world, but we usually do have a problem with when He needs to take that life back again. When that person’s time is up. And Carla, he shared you with this world for 35 years.
But that’s not the only reason this happened. Your situation also gave everyone the chance to see your light. Those who’d never seen it before, or may have taken it for granted… now they could all finally see what a lucky few of us could witness when you made us such an intimate part of your life. The whole world could now see what a beautiful, bright light you’ve always been and experience how your courage and selflessness can humble even the toughest soul.
Finally, I believe there’s a third reason why you went through these last few months of your life. It was to restore your faith in the world, in humanity, in yourself. Many a times you’ve shared with me how you questioned whether people really accept you for who you are, and sometimes… if they really DO love you. And in darker times… if there’s any good in this world. And through this journey, you got to experience all the answers you’ve always been wishing and hoping for, but in ten-fold.
People who hardly knew you even started loving and admiring you when they read about your courage, about your thoughts and feelings as you battled through this sickness. Your journey started a lot of little other journeys for countless of people you knew and didn’t know, and for that we are all grateful. Bonds were reunited, families forgave, friendships were strengthened and the world’s ugliness was but a far and distant memory. We all became a mob of love. Standing together in unity and truth. In the end, love IS all that matters. Thank you for reminding us of that.
By the time you left us, all you experienced from people were unconditional, endless love, the same you so selflessly always gave to us. You left this world, KNOWING that you had meant something to it, that you MATTERED, and most importantly, that you were loved.
Tags: cancer, death, hope, inspiration, leukemia, mourn. why die, suffering
June 7, 2010 at 2:51 pm |
I can really attest to the part about how Carla’s journey started a lot of other journeys. What an accurately descriptive way of putting into words the impact her and Rob’s journey over the past year has had on me. Even though I didn’t know her that well personally, through you and Andrew she became such intimate part of my daily life, and the whole process has made me see a lot of things and people in my life, in a new light, in ways I cannot even put into words yet.
Good night, lovely Iron Lady. See you on the other side.