Life is precious.... And short

There are people that we meet in life that touch us in ways that others do not. People that are specifically placed in our life to serve a purpose. It has been said that if you were to sit down and write the names of the most influential people in your life you list would likely be 7 names long. Why 7? Well, because our brains only have a certain capacity, and that seems to be it. One of those people for me was my girl scout leader, Lani Beck. She was a fabulous lady, with a huge heart, and really had a positive impact on my life. You see, she was my girl scout leader during those awkward teenage years. She showed me patience, kindness, love, and that perserverence can get you far. I remember one year our Christmas project was to make a quilt. She really didn't realize what a task that was going to be with me until we got started! At one point she was trying to help me sew and I was having a hard time. You see, I have two speeds, fast and stop. Always have, and always will. Well, my sewing goes quite like that too! Do you know how hard it is to sew a straight line when you have the pedal to the metal so to speak? She must have been so frustrated trying to get me to slow down so we wouldn't have to be constantly redoing parts of my quilt. But she never let on except once. I remember her saying to me something like, "Semalee, you are the most undomesticated young lady I have ever seen". LOL! Well, we did finally finish my quilt that year, and I proudly gave it to my mom. That was my first quilt and I have gone on to make several more, all at full speed of course!! I have learned how to make a staight-er line while in over drive if you know what I mean. Last year for Christmas I made my Grandma a quilt, and my husband's granny a quilt. The whole time I remember thinking I should take a picture and send it on to Lani, but I never did. I wish I had. She passed away last night. You can read about her battle with a superbug in my friend Danielles blog: Quiet Morgan You'll Wake The Dinosaurs . Lani, you will be greatly missed in this world. You accepted me when I didn't even feel accepted by my own family. You believed in me when I didn't believe in myself, and you motivated me to push on and be a very strong, independent woman. Your influence on me has impacted my life in many ways. I am so very grateful for the time I got with you and I know there is a special chair in heaven, just for you. It is not surprising that you weren't going to let a "bad cold" stop you from visiting your daughter and grandchildren, even if that cold was bad enough to lead to your passing. You taught me the value of family, and showing those that we love how we feel. You were always available, and Dave was too. Good night Lani, we will miss you.