I wrote some thoughts down about what Laura means to me. I never stop thinking of her and she has accompanied me on many walks over these past six months. I notice so much more as I trek along because of Laura. In our conversations her inquisitive nature and genuine desire to see things through my lens always stuck with me. She always said “oh, tell me all about it” or “please tell me what you saw”. I just loved how interested she truly was in everything that I had to say! It made me listen more deeply to others and relish their perspective.
Laura gave me a gift. She showed me what true selflessness looks like and she reminded me that no matter what is going on in our busy lives, life is just so precious. I slow down more now. I stop and take in what is in front of me and I often ask myself “What would Laura think of this?” We spent a lot of good times together as young kids but only over the last few years did we connect as adults and I will be forever grateful that I shared that time with Laura. I have never spent such a short amount of time with a friend and yet felt so known and heard as if we have spent decades sharing time together. Laura’s mind mesmerized me. She was not only brilliant but so incredibly enthusiastic about sharing her knowledge and her knowledge was so broad. There were so many things she could speak to in depth and that has become even more clear through all the stories about her on the website. The beauty of this is that she wanted everyone to share in this knowledge of hers and for all to become richer from what she had to teach. I honestly don’t know what was bigger, her brain capacity or her heart but the unique melding of the two made her incredibly special and a true gift to us all. Laura’s distinctive vibe was the best I’ve ever known – so full of energy and so full of love and such a passion for lifelong learning but having fun and taking care of each other at the same time. This vibe of hers was contagious and it will never be extinguished because of the lives she has touched and all of those lives that have picked up on her vibe and passed it along. She just had this effect on people and this growing collection of stories has confirmed that she was bigger than life and we are all better having had her in ours.
Her favorite mantra in life, Be Excellent to Each Other was one of my favorite stories posted about Laura because it really captured her character and her philosophy of life. I think of this every single day and I love that it encapsulates all that Laura was and continues to be. The fact that one person can have such an impact on how we live our lives going forward really means something special. We live in times where distractions are everywhere. Life comes at you fast and is constantly changing and it is often a challenge to keep our minds on the important things. Laura takes me back to the important stuff every single day and remembering her mantra is always a shortcut to getting there. My daughter is getting married this summer and the stress and the emotions that come with planning a wedding can turn even the most virtuous into crazed lunatics. There is a trick that I have been using to help me avoid falling into the drama filled rabbit hole and keep things light and joyful. I simply think of Laura and I repeat “Be Excellent to Each Other” over and over. I’m thinking Laura’s vibe is coming along with me to the wedding and everywhere else I go on the rest of this life journey. Laura was an amazing human full of kindness and love and hope and always wanting us to remember that everything will be alright. Another mantra (from a great song) that I’m taking along with me. Laura changed me and made me better and I will love her forever. I love you, Laura.