With all of the special memories of 9/11 going around, I can't ignore another hero who lost her life on this date. She died on 9/11 -- but not in 2001. Linda Stirman quietly succumbed to the cancer that consumed her body early in the morning on 9/11/03. If you knew either of us, you know that my mother-in-law and I rarely saw eye-to-eye. Truthfully, even in her death, the more I learn about her the less I understand what made her tick.
But this I know: her long and loving marriage to Mike produced the good and godly man I chose for my husband, to raise my children with, and to run the race on this earth with. I am enormously grateful for the impact she had on my life and the lives of my family. I have had to watch her husband grieve the loss of a friend and partner, my husband grieve the loss of his mother, and my children grieve the loss of their Mimi. Her loss is one that makes heaven and the saints there that much sweeter.
4 comments:
Linda was a delightful lady and a good friend.
Her impact on my life, and the lives of loved ones, is felt every day. As the mother of the man who has become my son and the father of two of my grandchileren, she has left a beloved legacy.
I had come to love and appreciate her long before my health so dramatically failed me for awhile, and her clinical viewpoint was often helpful and comforting to me in those dark days.
We so enjoyed the many meals we shared in their home, as well as the many nights we slept in their guest room.
I love Mike and enjoy his company immensely, and to this day when we're together I feel like the gathering is somehow imcomplete.
It will be grand to see her again some day
Sarah,
That is just about the best tribute anyone could ever give.
R--
Having lived with Linda for nearly 38 years, I still don't know "what made her tick". But thank you for remembering her in such a loving and endearing way. She touched us all with her special life in ways that we are still discovering daily. mstirman
Post a Comment