​It’s Monday morning and as I open my news feed today, I won’t see the good morning greetings, pictures of beautiful flowers, birds, or the Amish countryside of Ohio that always made me smile.  I will have to find another place for the latest scanner report or local news.  No longer will I get emails telling me of current events, links to articles or obituaries, or funny stories of days gone by. This weekend, one of my favorite Facebook friends got her wings. 
 
A tear slid quietly down my cheek as I stifled a gasp of “oh no!” when I read that news Sunday morning.  Gone is someone who never failed to brighten my day, like my posts, or comment on my blogs.  But while her family and many in our community will mourn and miss her, I can’t help but be happy too.  Gone is her pain as she breathes freely again.  Gone is her loneliness since she has now been reunited with children and others who passed before her that she has sorely missed.  She may be gone, but she will never be forgotten.
 
Margie was someone that I knew from our local Threshing Bee years ago when my dad used to announce the parade.  They were friends and she called him “Herbie,” when no else dared to do that.  She was part of my mom’s “club” that shared meals and laughs and an occasional field trip each month.  She was on my husband’s mail route, consequently they knew each other too.  So for most of my adult life, I knew of her, but I didn’t really know her until we became friends on Facebook several years ago.  And while I’m sure I don’t know her as well as others do, I have so appreciated her ever since. 
 
Some people talk about making a difference and some people just do it.  You could count on Margie to share beautiful pictures, make comments on your posts, or ask questions so she got the straight scoop.  She made you feel like you mattered, even on social media.  You don’t have to make a big splash to make a difference.  It’s the little things that warm another’s heart or puts a smile on their face.  To that end, we all have been blessed by the difference Margie made in our lives.
 
When she was required to take oxygen 24/7 several months ago, it would curtail how often and where she would be able to get out, which was frustrating to her and her previously active lifestyle.  She wondered aloud on Facebook what she would do “trapped” at home.  So many of us encouraged her to use her computer to stay in touch with the world and keep sharing those things upon which we all had come to depend.  And she did… right up until the last day.
 
I have used The Dash, a poem by Linda Ellis, in previous blogs, and in lessons and devotionals at church.  What will you do with that “dash” between the day of your birth and the day of your death?  As we look back, we come to realize that it’s the days and years in between that truly define us as Ellis notes, 
          “For that dash represents all the time that she spent alive on earth
        and now only those who loved her know what that little line is worth.
         For it matters not how much we own, the cars…the house…the cash…
          What matters is how we live and love… and how we spend our dash.”
 
To paraphrase Joseph Epstein, “We do not choose to be born….  We (most of us) do not choose to die; nor the time or condition of our death…But…we do choose how we live.”  
 
There is no better way to honor Margie’s life and her profound effect on so many than to choose to make a difference for others every day just as she did.  In a world continually filled with sound bites and pictures of hate, violence, and negativity, we can choose to be the messenger of hope; the light at the end of the tunnel; the rainbow in someone’s clouds.
 
RIP Margie.  The world was a better place because you lived here.  We look to the heavens as you soar with angel’s wings and hope that you will continue to smile down, encourage, and inspire those you left behind.  Today you have inspired me to write again, a blog you will not "like" or comment on, but one I had to write.  So in your honor, I renew my quest to make a difference as I live out the rest of my dash.

Today is my birthday and I am blessed to have been showered with countless (although you can count if you want to) birthday wishes posted to my timeline (as is the custom on Facebook), traditional cards, and e-cards too.  But one post today encouraged me to "Have a Happy Birthday and Blog On!"  I thought about that birthday greeting, and decided I would do just that!

I love to blog about others, issues, education, and things that inspire me, but while I love to tell a good story, blogging about me is not something that comes easy to me, or a subject that I would imagine most people would want to read about.  But today's my birthday, so I am taking this opportunity to say some things that are near and dear to my heart.

I could talk about the things I love to do, the passions I have for the teams I cheer for, the places I love to visit, or the place I call home.  But today I will focus on the intangibles...those things you really can't measure or touch in terms of how they make you feel.  As the saying goes, the best things in life are not things.

I am blessed by a wonderful life.  I have a husband of 35 years, children, and parents that love me and support me in all that I do.  I am also loved and surrounded by siblings, in-laws and extended family.  But no one plucks my heart strings quite like my grandsons.  They bring a smile to my face and a warmth to my heart that is unequaled.  I am interested in things they do that I never thought were interesting before.  I want to come to their rescue if there is a problem, and have found strength and patience I never knew I had as a result of being bestowed with the title of "grandma."  Once when my oldest grandson slammed his fingers in the sliding door of my daughter's van at a KSU football game, I carried all 50 pounds of him to the ER at the hospital that was conveniently located across from the stadium, but still quite a distance from where we were.  On a normal day, I can barely carry in the bag of potassium for our water softener from the garage 20 feet into the house.  Yet on that day I carried him without a thought, and I wasn't even tired until I put him down.   The youngest grandson often greets me, running at full speed to give me a big hug, saying, "Graaaannndddddmmmaaa!" Whose heart would not melt at that greeting? Those boys inspire me to feel more and do more than I ever thought I could.

I am a collector of many things - blue glass, Santas, and moose to name a few, but I also collect "friend" items and quotes because friendship is important to me in ways many do not understand.  A quote by Vincent Van Gogh kind of sums it up for me:
“Close friends are truly life's treasures. Sometimes they know us better than we know ourselves. With gentle honesty, they are there to guide and support us, to share our laughter and our tears. Their presence reminds us that we are never really alone.”

Friends improve the quality of one's life and I am lucky to have many really good friends who make me laugh, and who appreciate and support me for who I am and what I aspire to do.  They have enriched me both personally and professionally, and some have helped me achieve my dreams of owning my own business and making a difference in the lives of others.  I am also fortunate to have a few very dear friends who I can rely on for just about anything.  Their love and support get me through the trying times, provide me the opportunity to get things off my chest and experience gales of laughter.  No matter the distance between us, we still get each other.  Mostly we can just share the everyday things without any fanfare or pretense.  I have enjoyed a week of lunches and good times to celebrate "my day," but in reality, it is just friends being friends.

I have also been blessed to have a career in education that has been fulfilling and continues to provide me ways to feel relevant and engaged in life.  I have made countless friends and acquaintances because of my educational experiences.  I love the interaction with students no matter what their age, seeing them grow and gain new understanding before my eyes.  This week I have had the additional blessing to be reminded by some former students, now adults, that I did make a difference in their lives along the way. I am humbled and grateful that they take the time to share this with me.  It is also endearing that some still call me "coach" despite the years that have passed.  I have so many fond memories of the times spent in the gym or at the track. Those are bonds sealed by sweat and tears and will never be forgotten.

Finally I know that without my faith in God that none of this would be possible.  The life I live is part of a plan that I cannot begin to fathom.  I know I'm here to make a difference some how, some way.  I know that people cross our paths and situations happen that seem insignificant at the time, but alter the course of our lives.  I know that I often plan and hope for things that never happen and while I am disappointed, I know that there is a reason - something bigger in the grand scheme of things - that I just don't see yet.  But when I look back later, I will see why something did or didn't happen and the result of that action.  I believe God supports me when I can't do it alone, but also has a sense of humor and winks at me to let me know He's with me.  I have a wooden cross hanging above my desk - a gift from one of those dear friends - that says "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding."   I love this and what it represents.  And it is from Proverbs (3: 5-6), my favorite book in the Bible, because it's full of God's locker room slogans for life!

My wish for you as my birthday comes to a close, is that you identify and celebrate the blessings in your life.  Find the good; focus on the silver lining, and see what a difference it makes in your life so that you may make a difference in the lives of others.  Enjoy your year - I know I will!