I recently used the theme of Zeal as a title for a scheduled talk. Specifically, it comes from the book Adventures in Resilience: Ignite the 12 Powers in You to Create a Radiant Life by Sharon Connors. I began my talk by reviewing the characteristics of Zeal, the impetus to move forward, represented by the disciple Simon, located in the area of the back of the neck; the color orange. This particular is entitled Unstuck and Unstoppable. Connors gives several examples of people that are unstuck and unstoppable. I wish to share my example. This woman was a member of one of the churches where I speak frequently.
She was in charge of scheduling speakers. It is a small church that does not have a full-time minister. They have a part-time spiritual leader who speaks twice a month, inviting speakers to round out the schedule. I got to know her pretty well. We communicated by both phone and e-mail, and most recently, text message. She was 85 years young when she made her transition at the end of September. She was so vital, alive, and full of Zeal that you would never guess that she was that old. I did not take advantage of the time set aside to make remarks during her service, choosing instead to make them during the more intimate setting provided by the church. I referred to the poem, “The Dash.”
The dash is the time between when a person is born and when they make the transition. Her “dash” encompassed activities in many areas. A firm believer in education, she was the holder of both BS and MS degrees in nursing. She devoted her entire career to psychiatric-mental health nursing as an educator, administrator, or clinical nurse specialist and held several prestigious positions in the field. Her efforts earned her awards. She and her husband, the love of her life, never had children, but they found other ways to give back.
They generously provided scholarships for nursing students throughout the years. She was an active volunteer in many organizations. She and her husband traveled extensively throughout their long marriage. She continued to travel after he made his transition.After her last trip, she confided that she was through taking long trips but would continue to make short excursions to visit friends and family. She continued her healthy habits throughout her illness until she was unable to continue. She never gave up.
She was actively engaged in the church from the time she joined until a few weeks before she made her transition. I am honored to say that the last time she attended in person was when I spoke after we parted ways; she sent me a text message thanking me for the card I had sent and for my friendship throughout the years. There was to be no more communication. A friend of hers responded to a subsequent text I sent because she was too weak and had too much pain to answer. I will miss this shining star in my life