MY friend

Cheryl came into my life when I had asked for her. Without knowing the experience that she would teach me, the understanding she would give me or the love that she would show me. I meet Cheryl October of last year. I had been wanting for some time to learn a solid mediation practice that not only may quiet my mind, but expand my soul. See Cheryl was MY teacher, MY guide and MY inspiration. Throughout that first class, which was only five weeks, we formed a unique relationship in her class of 15 students. When I had thoughts about God, humanistic behavior or how the sunset that evening on the way to class had been beautiful, Cheryl would repeat, regurgitate and show through her loving approach that I knew all the things that I should know… but that there was also more to know and even possibly never know.

I’ve had many people come into my life for a variety of reasons. All have taught me about life, love and most of all me. They always seem to come into my life when I need them the most… or at least when I think I do. But the outcome of my experience with them is most often a lesson in my understanding of the interworking of God in my life. Cheryl instructed me that all we have to do is ask, to be guided by the spirit in us and with that we will be on the path.

Cheryl also taught the need to let those around us and most of all God know our need for our own forgiveness and that of others. Through her stories of her life she shared with me, she had done that, had given her life to the spirit that so wonderfully and joyfully flowed through her.

In my last encounter with Cheryl, I knew something was amiss. MY body ached for her, MY mind was muddled in her presence, and I had a sense that my time with her would soon be ending and not just because our class was coming to a close. In my last conversation with her she related to me that she knew she was MY teacher, that she felt she had so much still to teach me and that I knew that I was feeling her pain and discomfort. This brief conversation said it all.

I learned this week that MY friend Cheryl passed away. This has left me in feelings of sorrow and joy, that I may never learn all I wanted to learn from her… but I know… I can hear her now say to me… but YOU know everything that I had to teach.

To you Cheryl, my promise is to live life the way I saw in you… to use my gifts as they are intended and to always live in love.

Blessings of Peace MY friend. I hope you get this... I love you!