For Kamile

 Today I learned that a colleague of mine entered hospice. Her husband made a post on Facebook, which a friend of mine shared with me (I don't have Facebook). She had been battling liver cancer for the last half year or so. She taught classes Wednesday, ending by telling her students, "I love you all."

Thursday, she had terrible pain and went to the hospital, and thence into hospice. Her husband says she does not have much more time.

I knew her only a bit, but she always greeted me as a friend. I saw her present some of her work--music therapy, how mothers' songs comfort their babies. She sang the song she created for her own son when he was small. I heard how much she loved him. I saw how much she loved her work. I saw her stretch herself, try out for and be cast in a play at the local community theatre. I saw how delighted she was to discover this new way of expressing herself through art. 

News of her illness was a blow to us. This latest news is hard and sad.

I need to tell my students I love them more often.

Lord, bless Kamile and her family. 

Grant her peace and comfort as she passes out of this life. 

Grant her family--her husband, her kids--as much peace as they can have. 

Spirit of peace, work through the hospice care folk and the medical professionals to unburden her and her family of any worry about her pain or distress. 

May she and her family know without any question their love for each other. 

May they share the assurance, undimmed by regret or unsaid words, of how grateful they are for each other.

May their love for each other and your love for them drive out fear. 

May love bless their sorrow, making it rich and deep and pure and healing. 

May love imprint memory of this time with the best of Kamile: her joy and care and passion and adventurous spirit.

May love let them carry forward the blessing that is Kamile into the rest of their lives.

May love carry Kamile into the good plan you have for all of us, in to the place where there is no fear or pain, only joyful wonder and happy reunion. 

May her love move those of us she leaves behind to love better:

to love out loud

to love more often

to love in art and song and stage and classroom.

Thank you for Kamile, Lord. Thank you for putting her life and ours into contact. 

God, grant her peace. Grant her family peace. Surround them with your love and comfort.

Amen