Let me tell you a story....
When we lived on Fort Bragg, we we close with two other families that lived on our street. Mrs. Kim's family was one of them. While the moms would walk around the soccer track, we kids would find all sorts of trouble to get in to. We grilled out together, the moms had scrapbook days, Mrs. Kim and Mrs. Kelly helped coordinate Fuzz's birthday to make it a success. Needless to say, a lifelong friendship grew. As with the Army, we all moved our separate ways, yet still keeping in touch. Around December, Momma got a call from Mrs. Kim. She had gone to the doctor and they found cancerous tumors all over her body. A month later, the doctors discovered it was soft tissue sarcoma and radical treatment was taken.To make a long story short, the tumors were shrank but came back twice as strong. This time her body was too weak to fight and take treatment. Momma went down a few days before Mrs. Kim passed, to visit with her one last time.
Sadly, our family got a call last night that Mrs. Kim did pass away....We had hoped and prayed for so long that she would be healed. A few times she did make a turn around and everyone thought she was going to be "cured." There is a reason for all this, we don't know, I don't understand. My family is happy she is no long suffering the horrible pain she faced. Yet, it is always sad to see a friend go.
About two years ago, the same thing happened with my paternal grandma. She fought breast cancer and won. But less than a year later, stomach cancer had crept up her esophagus preventing her from eating. She too fought hard and lost.
It made me stop and think, how short and fragile life is. We don't know what will happen to us from one day to the next. Will we live, will we die... It also made me stop and look at each life of Mrs. Kim and my grandma.
Mrs. Kim was always there for my family whenever we needed her. Disorganized, spunky and always quick to laugh over anything, she was the first to do anything to help anyone. Her attitude was to not worry about life. She never did, the entire time of her cancer battle, she had a positive attitude and always asked how everyone was doing.
My grandma on the other hand, I cannot say much...She lived in Michigan and only came twice to visit us while she was alive. I didn't know her and it seemed like she didn't care to get to know me or my brothers. Sadly, when we went to her funeral I never shed a tear. When she passed away, I didn't cry. I watched m cousins get up during her funeral, barely able to speak, pouring their hearts out about this woman who I didn't know.
Each woman left a different impact on me. Mrs. Kim's was to not plan out enjoyment in life, but to enjoy life as it comes. My grandma's lack of involvement in my life left little to be taught. It did teach me that I want a legacy left to those I leave behind. Not as in monetary or physical, but an impact that somehow I touched and changed their lives for the better. That in me, they could see joy, happiness and a love to live the life I was given. That I was able to be a help to everyone in need and always smiling even in times of hardship. In the end, I want to be like Mrs. Kim...
Rest in peace, Mrs. Kim....We love and miss you
~Emma
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