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Lots of Love
At the end of October, I learned that one of the most important people in my life passed away. Her name was Linda. In other cultures, there is surely a word to describe the relationship we had, but I can’t think of an adequate term in ours. She was my mother’s best friend and like a second mother to me, especially after my mom died years before. We considered each other family. Linda was very accomplished both personally and professionally. She had countless friends, a loving family, and was retired from a fulfilling career as a nurse and educator. She was beloved by everyone who knew her. The funeral was standing-room-only. Most of the town was there, but there were also people who traveled from around the country and across continents to celebrate her life. Linda lived by the philosophy that “no act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted." She was, in fact, the nicest person in the world. As hyperbolic as that must sound, I believe it is true. There may be someone who was as nice as Linda, but absolutely no one nicer. Linda would end many of her texts with “LOL” which could be confusing at times. She later admitted that she thought “LOL” meant “lots of love” rather than “laugh out loud”. We both found this amusing. Thankfully, she had a wonderful sense of humor and loved to laugh out loud. My mother, Lynda (with a “y”), was in fact, the funniest person in the world and it was no wonder they were such good friends. As I sort through all my memories of them both, it’s hard not to smile and feel immensely lucky. I don’t know about an afterlife, but if there is one, I imagine Linda and Lynda are doing a lot of catching up right now, enjoying a few good laughs, and looking down with lots of love.
Stay safe and healthy,
Tracy Jacobs
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