This week, I was checking my Facebook account and found out that someone I had worked with for years had passed away. I remember my last communication with her being about my move and the fresh start we were on.
The last time I had heard, she had been hospitalized due to COVID at the start of the year. She had been released and was back at home, but she passed away a few months later. She was weeks away from her 80th birthday, and I read there will be a memorial for her in the summer.
There was a time when I spoke with her almost daily while I worked for the Canadian Cat Association. She was President of the board of directors for two years, and a member for longer than that. I enjoyed our conversations, especially her sense of humour.
While there was an almost 30-year age gap between us, we still had a lot in common and exchanged thoughts and ideas. She enjoyed attending cat shows and was committed to positively seeing the cat fancy progress.
I’ll remember her for her commitment to the association and loyalty to the people she cared about. I feel sympathy for her friends and family, especially her husband, who are mourning her loss. I can’t imagine losing my husband, after having him in my life for over twenty years, so losing someone after being together for over 40 years must be heartbreaking.
I find it odd that a negative experience is needed to remind us to make time for the things that are important to us: make the phone call, write the letter, and spend time with your loved ones. I have lost people in my life that I regret not having one last conversation with, so I’m committing to not making that mistake in the future. 🩵