This weekend I was reminded of the wonderful power of family connections. As I'm sure most of you know by now, Amber's Mom passed away. She may write a post on that later, she may not. I spent, as did Rae, Kate and Kelly, the weekend with her in Kentucky. While it was not the best reason for a trip, it was the perfect time for one. I needed my friends and, for that moment, they needed me.

Sunday morning brought a trip to Dad's house for breakfast. Loving chatter, biscuits, gravy, bacon and laughter--the best menu one can have in a situation like that. I sat in the rocker beside the kitchen for a bit when we got there just listening. Never have I been to a family event like this where I don't end up loving the family I'm with and appreciating my own. Amber has talked to me about her family for ages, done impressions of their accents (which are spot on!) and told me stories relating some of their quirks. It was amazing to see those in action!

Later in the day we had a quiet church meeting with just us girls. I haven't ever been to a better sacrament. When we were there Kate said (and sorry if I misquote you!), "It's always surprising to me that so much love can come from death."

When I looked around the room at the strong, beautiful women who I'm lucky to call friends, then later at the amazing children Janice has left as a legacy talking to and comforting each other, at the family and church members who opened their homes and ovens and even to a random salesperson at a jewelry counter I'm simply amazed at the love in the world. So often our challenges in life involve feeling isolate or unimportant. Frequently we fall into the trap of thinking our life has one meaning. We're just wrong.

Despite what you may be able to see now, you're an important thread in the web of life. People would notice if you were gone, they would mourn.

Amber and I slept in the same bed all weekend. We talked and cried and laughed wondering all the while about the big picture, why this happened, what it really all means. I wish I had more answers. The objective, even with it's harsh edges, can be key to understanding any experience and in this case the objective is hard to find outside the final truth of death. Like the love that Kate mentioned, there's eternal life as well. Not only just for Janice's soul but here on Earth. I look at her daughters and son thinking of all the beautiful lessons she taught them, how her devoted hands formed their lives and I know she'll never be really gone. It's appropriate that her legacy will be passed through the spoken stories of her children to their children and onward. As long as we remember them and hold them near I don't think we ever really "lose" one we love. Just the ability to hug them as readily.

Luckily, we have friends. And as I remembered this weekend, when you have friends there is never a shortage of proxy hugs available.