MY WORDS WILL NEVER BE ENOUGH

I have been asked to write a blog about the passing 

and loss of a dear friend, Rona. I have put it off for days and today 

feel enough time has passed, that her dear son,

her friends, her family but most importantly,

Her dear Daughter, Our Shantelle, known as Tell to

those who love her, 

so many need some type of words as their loss 

sinks in.....

So, with Telle's permission I begin to try and share

what a loss this woman has been to so many, to the world.

I say nothing I don't mean and I do say probably more

than I should sometimes, Please forgive me ahead of time

if this post lands up being too long.

So, when did Rona and I become friends?

We certainly were not friends in high school as she

was many years younger than me. 

I go back to the late 90's and know we became 

friends as so many others I call friend.

In a gym, biddy basketball season.

You see, her Shantelle and my Baby boy played 

Biddy in the same gym and like me,

we spent weekends in those gyms.

We lost touch for so many years,

then Baby boy, Shantelle grew up,

had families and thanks to Facebook,
we became in contact with each other.
As I have watched her grand babies grow,
following Shantelle's page,
hearing stories of the sweet babies and their dear
MIMi, my heart melted many times.
So many times I have said aloud to many,
"Some people say and post things about their families
that are so fake but Shantelle, when she posts anything
about her babies, it is real, she honestly loves her little
family sooo darn much and makes many of us smile.
So the loss of her Mom, her babies MIMI,
is not a small thing.
I want to say something to Telle and Lionelle,
hoping that one day these same words will be comfort
to the children who called her MIMI....
a few months ago, Rona and I shared a few phone
calls. They were not easy ones, but because
of their content, I will not share much of those conversations.
What I will share is each time we spoke,
when she spoke of her own children,
especially Shantelle she beamed with pride,
asking me, "How did she learn to love her children so much?"
"How does she know how to be such a good Mother?"
I reminded her each time, "Rona, she learned by watching you"
This made her cry more than once,
and when we spoke of her little ones,
what did she want Shantelle to learn now,
on how to handle her babies as adults?
I reminded her, "You know our own babies may be adults
but they are still watching us"
I will forever be thankful for these conversations she
and I had, as I now hold some precious talks
that one day, if asked, I can share with her own babies.
I think of Rona and I know Shantelle, although
so sad without her Mom, as she was such a help to her,
her Mom has raised a very strong woman, and
with the support of her dear husband, and those
four babies that she adores, She will be okay.
I pray that her baby boy, Lionele, can find his way as
he may still believe he so needs her.
However, I know his Mom and she
 will continue to work her magic for him
from high above us... Lionel will always be her baby boy.
Love to all who loved our Rona..
There will never be another like her,
as it should be....
RIP Rona!
I pray this post brings only comfort and helps the
pain even if just a tad....