Wife, mother, friend, coworker, and a beautiful human being...Susan's bright, positive attitude, her smile, the way her face lit up when she talked about Matt, Rachel, and Brody, those were gifts she gave every day. She will be missed by many, and I am definitely one of them.
I'll share the words of John O'Donahue that seem so appropriate here, and my thoughts and prayers are with Susan's family and all who loved her.
Though we need to weep your loss,
You dwell in that safe place in our hearts,
Where no storm or night or pain can reach you.
Your love was like the dawn
Brightening over our lives
Awakening beneath the dark
A further adventure of colour.
The sound of your voice
Found for us
A new music
That brightened everything.
Whatever you enfolded in your gaze
Quickened in the joy of its being;
You placed smiles like flowers
On the altar of the heart.
Your mind always sparkled
With wonder at things.
Though your days here were brief,
Your spirit was live, awake, complete.
We look towards each other no longer
From the old distance of our names;
Now you dwell inside the rhythm of breath,
As close to us as we are to ourselves.
Though we cannot see you with outward eyes,
We know our soul’s gaze is upon your face,
Smiling back at us from within everything
To which we bring our best refinement.
Let us not look for you only in memory,
Where we would grow lonely without you.
You would want us to find you in presence,
Beside us when beauty brightens,
When kindness glows
And music echoes eternal tones.
When orchids brighten the earth,
Darkest winter has turned to spring;
May this dark grief flower with hope
In every heart that loves you.
May you continue to inspire us:
To enter each day with a generous heart.
To serve the call of courage and love
Until we see your beautiful face again
In that land where there is no more separation,
Where all tears will be wiped from our mind,
And where we will never lose you again.
-- John O’Donohue
On the death of the Beloved
7 comments:
I meet Susan when we went to Disney last year. She was always smiling and cutting up. Her 1st words to me were "I don't like you, you're one of those people who work from home." We've laughed ever since. I didn't know her well but I am 100% sure that the world lost a beautiful, giving, loving and one of the happiest people I have ever meet today!!! My prayers go out to everyone.
Yes, Susan would also bust my chops from time to time about working from home. One of the funniest times was when we did Strength Finders and she said she was WOO. She laughed and got all goofy talking about her WOO. I really didn't need to even read the page on WOO because just knowing Susan and being in her presence defined the very essence of WOO. She never met a stranger! She will have a lot of work to do in heaven, God must have needed a secretary when he called her home!
We will miss you- may God comfort your family during this trying time! ~Krista Kaspar
Two phrases I will always associate with Susan are, "Life is so good!" and, "We're all just children of God." The last time I heard her use the later was at Ronald McDonald House. Susan asked if she could leave some literature and the volunteers were concerned about the origins of the material. Susan told them where the material came from and added, "But you know, we're all just children of God." In her gentle way, she helped erase barriers that need not exist, and I was very proud of her in that moment.
Susan had what I call "walking faith"...the kind of faith and belief that manifest, not just in words, but in every step. Her faith showed itself in the way she treated people, the way she loved her family and friends, the way she worked, and in the beautiful smile on her face. You didn't have to be an intimate friend for that smile to touch your heart.
You placed smiles like flowers
On the altar of the heart.
Your mind always sparkled
With wonder at things.
Though your days here were brief,
Your spirit was live, awake, complete.
We look towards each other no longer
From the old distance of our names;
Now you dwell inside the rhythm of breath,
As close to us as we are to ourselves.(John O'Donahue)
She was truly an inspiration to us all. It seemed that her life was whole after God put Matt into her life. I remember her funny emails to me and even calling me mom from time to time. She brightened any room that she walked into, and I can't imagine how happy she is to meet her Lord and Savoir. We are but mere humans and the pain overwhelms us, but she is without pain and any suffering and walking on streets of gold. I only wish that I could have the faith that she had and the relationship she shared with her maker. She is missed dearly.
Your smile, wit, and ability to be so genuinely positive made such a difference. Thank you for the warmth of your smile and spirit. I love you, we all love you, and the loss of you leaves my heart in agony. Till we meet again sister friend, Godspeed.
Susan always made everyone smile. I still can't believe what happened to her and I was just saying "This can't be happening to her and her family". I really miss her smile and her and Matt walking around Unum....
Susan was such a wonderful person, the world will not be the same without her. However, we must go on until it's our time to go. I will always remember Susan's pretty smile, that as her minister said, made her eyes go away.......Susan and I had this in common......
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