*This post is dedicated to my Aunt Lori. Last week, she died under horrific circumstances. The celebration of her life today has shown me many things, and one of them centers upon judgment. If others had been judging her more throughout her life, then she may not have been able to become the force of positivity she was.
Choosing Love
My aunt died tragically last week. When I reflect on her and her life, I am thankful that she was surrounded by so much love. Through hardships and challenges, things were not always easy for her or for those who stood by her. Because of people choosing love over judgment, she found her way.
Despite the negative situation we’ve recently seen concerning her death, so many positive things have happened for her in recent years. Daring to find a better life, she found joy in serving others. Several years ago, she decided to put her faith on the line, and in the process, found a renewed sense of hope. Whether it was family, friends, the people in her church, or those she volunteered with/helped, everyone opened their doors and their hearts. Because of that love she was first given, she could pay it forward. So many people were influenced by her positivity, and that will live on forever.
Judgment-Free
The leader of Surfers for Autism spoke at my aunt’s candlelight vigil this evening. He said, “Lori brought her kids, and found a judgment-free, safe place where she was free to love others.” He went on to say she touched the lives of “thousands of people” over the course of the 8 years she participated in their organization. My aunt was a single mother with four children, one of whom is autistic. It’s not always easy to find people who don’t have an assumption about you because of your life or history. What if my aunt wouldn’t have found the “judgment-free and safe places of love” that she did? Would discouragement have taken over? Would she have given up on improving her life, and finding the joy she was looking for? It’s always possible. I thank God she found the right places within all of us who loved her, the Surfers for Autism, and within her church.
Judging Less and Loving More
Because of the love my aunt was given, she was able to be a positive force. Finding a relationship with Jesus Christ and practicing her faith are the things that give us comfort today as we celebrate her life. Losing her so tragically and untimely are difficult, but we find peace in knowing where she is now.
The example that those around her have set is an important one to remember: always keep your heart and doors open. You never know the magnitude of the impact you might have on someone who is looking for renewal and hope. In life it could change so much for a person. In death, it could change them forever.
We love you Aunt Lori. Rest in paradise always….
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