Fearless, bold, open-hearted Love.

A dear friend, and steady influence in my life is currently losing her very sudden battle to cancer. The news came out of nowhere. And it was, as this news always is, world-upending. Her name is Connie. She befriended my mother when we were young. They had kids the same age in the same schools. But it was her pure and driving force of positivity that forged a friendship with my mother who can be painfully shy.

Her persistence as a friend has been admirable over the years. If my mom is ever in need, during a hurricane or recovering from a surgery, needing help on the school fundraiser or an assist when hosting a baby shower, Connie, is who we would enlist. And I don’t remember a time, she turned us down.

Connie is unabashedly bold. She is fearless. Her overseas adventures had me in awe of her. Her usually bright lipstick inspired me.

She is a beautiful soul who showed me early on how if we have the capacity, we should open our hearts. I loved hearing her stories of adopting her youngest and the journey that led to a part of her life that had she hesitated would have never been lived. Her heart opened not only to her sweet son, but to any who happened to be in her orbit. Though she didn’t always have the resources of many of our peers, I never knew her to say no to any cause or any request.

Her home was humble and welcoming. We grew up in an affluent neighborhood with an even more affluent neighborhood adjacent. However, I can’t remember a home I felt more at ease in than hers. It was inviting, warm, always decorated for the occasion and a place you could be yourself. That’s a lot to give to an unsure teenager.

I was a few years older than her children and so got to watch her parent from a different perspective than my younger siblings. Her children are her greatest passion. And I was often in awe with how she parented them, two very different people, with joy, skill, patience and always kindness.

I am filled with incredible gratitude that I am able to have benefitted from her gifts.

I am sure she will meet this challenge with all these things. Fearlessness. Boldness. Positivity. And I know she will meet it with her trademark open heart and selflessness.