Love Letters

Last week a friend and former colleague of mine died in a tragic accident. A daughter, a mother, a wife, a friend and a health nut, she was a kind, hyper-organized, thoughtful, purposeful and diligent woman. She was respected, liked and trusted.  

I spent most of the week shuddering thinking how all this is being explained to her first grader and four-year-old. Then my mind cruelly wanders to what Kyle would have to tell Nate and Evy. And what I would want him to say to Nate and Evy. 

Then I realized I can tell them myself and began to write them each a love letter. A letter like the one Kyle wrote and gave me on our wedding day (it so, so, so beautiful). A letter for their last day of college, for their first day at their first job, for their wedding day or for the day their first child is born...no matter. 

What matters is the words are there now for them to see and to have and to hold and to know. And that's how I've decided to pay tribute to Jill: to tell my children how much I love them. How they are the very things--how they are all the things "I didn't know that I didn't know." 

To Nolan and Tristan: Your Mom was the kind of woman that people were happy to know. She made things worthwhile. She was the first person to roll up her sleeves and say, "We can figure this out." And that is the best kind of Momma to have. 

sbc