Celebrating Life

I attended a funeral today, but it wasn’t what I expected. Katie was a former coworker of mine and even though she left the Foundation in 2009 to work for the OSU President’s Office, I was still in contact with her frequently. In fact, I got to see her a week ago on Tuesday, and we had a good conversation. I got to congratulate her on her pregnancy and she told me about the interesting morning she’d had without electricity.

Katie was such a kind person. When I first started at the Foundation she made me feel welcome and always greeted me with a smile. We never had much of a relationship outside of work, but I always enjoyed spending time with Katie.

She died this past Sunday at only 29. My heart breaks for her husband, who is also a coworker of mine, and her family and friends. I cannot imagine their grief. As we gathered together for the funeral today, I was prepared for a tearful afternoon. While there were plenty of tears, there was also a feeling of gratitude for the time we got to spend with her and the blessing she was to all of us. At the funeral, the pastor spoke of how Katie loved God and treated every day as a gift. Her life, although shorter than some, was filled with meaning and purpose. The Lord had great plans for Katie, and I was blessed to have known her.

Today was a good reminder to celebrate life and show God’s love to others. You never know what He has planned for you.

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