It's one of those times, when we once again sit here at the computer to say good-bye to someone who was very close to us.This was a woman who I met, back in 1999, when I moved to Deep East Texas, Lufkin, Texas to be precise! And it was there, that this woman, came into my life as I did hers.
Shari Horton Meyer Ratliff (I know, lots of names, but two of those names are because she was married twice), was a woman who I came in contact with shortly after I arrived in Lufkin, and worked on a couple of projects of hers. One was Red Ribbon Week, which is a week dedicated to bring Drug and Alcohol awareness to the forefront of Teenagers, the other was Shattered Dreams, again talking about the dangers of drinking and driving during Prom week.
During my time in Lufkin, I grew very fond of this woman, she and I would get together, and keep each other company, we both were going through divorces, and I was trying to start a new relationship with someone in Dallas.
Shari kept me on the straight and narrow, even though romantically it could have complicated things so much. We would talk sports, and movies, and religion, and business, while trying to keep things light and laugh a lot.
I was there when her mother passed away in January of 2000, I was there to hold her hand-- there to wipe the tears from her eyes-- I was there to make sure that she was not alone during that time.
She was there when I had to put my cocker spaniel to sleep, she held my hand-- she wiped my tears from my eyes.. and she was there to let me know that I wasn't alone!
Shari discovered her soul mate, a man that was in the United States Air Force, he was a Captain at the time, and made it to the rank of Major. Her two children took to the Major quickly and it was soon a family again!
Shari and her husband moved to North Texas, and while in Ft. Worth she was diagnosed with Cancer.. the two year fight and battles were on-- she picked the color Orange to be her battle cry--she did everything in her power to defeat this! To survive! TO BE THERE FOR HER CHILDREN!
She saw her eldest son Cliff, married-- but her daughter-- Cheyenne, she will be without her mother on the day she is wed, when that day comes. Shari will miss holding her first grand child, she will miss the triumphs and the pitfalls of her day to day life.
I can say that she is no longer in pain, she is no longer suffering, she is at peace, and another Angel is watching over us.
I will miss my friend, I will miss her laughter, I will miss her smile, and most of all-- I will miss her HUGS!
We ended each email, each message with FIVE letters-- I W A L Y... truly Shari--I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU! And I will hope that you will continue to keep a watchful eye over us.
Be at peace my darlin Shari-- and be the blessing you have always been!
I will ALWAYS LOVE YOU!
Just a thought!
