Light from around the world for LongTermSurvivor/Stephanie
Comments
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Having walked this road as long as you have, I so appreciate the wisdom you have shared about the disease, how to love, how to live, and how all of these things fit together. Much love to you, and even more peace
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Goodbye and Godspeed, Stephanie!!!
None of us ever wanted to be here, but the extraordinary time you were given, to examine the meaning and value of life, gave you some profound insights, and has enriched all of us.
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Stephanie ..Sending Love , Hugs and Prayers ..You are an amazing , much loved lady x
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Thanks for your life and all that you've shared. Holding you in the light.
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May your journey be peaceful and painless. Gentle hugs and prayers are coming your way.
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Stephanie, in spite of your note about slowing down and letting others follow this thread for you, it's very hard to believe you won't pop back on tonight or tomorrow or in the coming days. But if you don't, thank you for staying with us for as long as you have. I so clearly remember one of your first posts -- so genuine and open to wanting to know how the discussion groups worked. I will miss you terribly, dear friend, but I want what's best for you so will join you and those here in praying that you make your transition on November 2, as you so wish. Your spirit will always be with us! Deanna
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You will be missed by so many. While I'm very sad it's coming soon, I know you need to be released from that hell and fly free. I pray Nov 2 will be your time as you wish. Thank you for being you. With much loving kindness, God bless you and hold you close, XO--- Shonta
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When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say
It is well, it is well, with my soul.0 -
Thank you! May you get your transition day of release. Lots of love and may peace be with you. Leave your body on the shore and fly free.
love rosevalley
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So grateful for your lovely writings, Stephanie. God's peace and godspeed to you.
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Thank you for sharing yourself with us. You've made an impact. We love and respect you. May your spirit soar and fly free.
Cathy
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Stephanie, I've just met you only to find out that you are leaving. Thank you for your private message; I will cherish our brief contact. May your body rest, may your suffering end, may your memory be for a blessing. May your gifts be multiplied a hundredfold. May you be wrapped in a spangled veil of stars for all eternity. Peace.
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Stephanie - thank you so much for all your advice, support and sensible words. Your posts certainly helped me navigate this new and uncertain mbc world. May your transition be a peaceful one filled with warmth, love and light. Gentle hugs and warmest wishes, judy
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Stephanie, thank you for all the light & love you have given us—may your transition be as and when you wish, through that ever-thinning veil.
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Stephanie, you've always given such wise advice and healing words. I'm better for having known you.
My family relies on humor to help during challenging times. My daughter posted this a while back and it always make me laugh. One, because it's clever and funny and two because *she* thinks it's funny. I hope it bring a smile to your beautiful face.
Hugs and prayers for a peaceful transition.
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To be clear, I am a warrior for peace, love and understanding and have never fought against death, cancer or life's twists and turns. I am a lifetime pacifist and expect to die one.
Thank you for not wishing another miracle recovery for me. I've already experienced uncountable, unfathomable miracles. Now a miracle will be the release called death!
Thank you for understanding and for wishing my fulfillment!
I'm grateful to put my years of cancer/life experience to good use in this group. And love being accepted into your hearts and lives. Thank you!
There's always time for one more poem, Stephanie
Testament
And now to the Abyss I pass
Of that Unfathomable Grass...
1.
Dear relatives and friends, when my last breath
Grows large and free in air, don't call it death --
A word to enrich the undertaker and inspire
His surly art of imitating life; conspire
Against him. Say that my body cannot now
Be improved upon; it has no fault to show
To the sly cosmetician. Say that my flesh
Has a perfect compliance with the grass
Truer than any it could have striven for.
You will recognize the earth in me, as before
I wished to know it in myself: my earth
That has been my care and faithful charge from birth,
And toward which all my sorrows were surely bound,
And all my hopes. Say that I have found
A good solution, and am on my way
To the roots. And say I have left my native clay
At last, to be a traveler; that too will be so.
Traveler to where? Say you don't know.
2.
But do not let your ignorance
Of my spirit's whereabouts dismay
You, or overwhelm your thoughts.
Be careful not to say
Anything too final. Whatever
Is unsure is possible, and life is bigger
Than flesh. Beyond reach of thought
Let imagination figure
Your hope. That will be generous
To me and to yourselves. Why settle
For some know-it-all's despair
When the dead may dance to the fiddle
Hereafter, for all anybody knows?
And remember that the Heavenly soil
Need not be too rich to please
One who was happy in Port Royal.
I may be already heading back,
A new and better man, toward
That town. The thought's unreasonable,
But so is life, thank the Lord!
3.
So treat me, even dead,
As a man who has a place
To go, and something to do.
Don't muck up my face
With wax and powder and rouge
As one would prettify
An unalterable fact
To give bitterness the lie.
Admit the native earth
My body is and will be,
Admit its freedom and
Its changeability.
Dress me in the clothes
I wore in the day's round.
Lay me in a wooden box.
Put the box in the ground.
4.
Beneath this stone a Berry is planted
In his home land, as he wanted.
He has come to the gathering of his kin,
Among whom some were worthy men,
Farmers mostly, who lived by hand,
But one was a cobbler from Ireland,
Another played the eternal fool
By riding on a circus mule
To be remembered in grateful laughter
Longer than the rest. After
Doing that they had to do
They are at ease here. Let all of you
Who yet for pain find force and voice
Look on their peace, and rejoice.- Wendell Berry
xxx
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"That though the radiance which was once so bright be now forever taken from my sight. Though nothing can bring back the hour of splendor in the grass, glory in the flower. We will grieve not, rather find strength in what remains behind."– William Wordsworth
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Oh, Stephanie... being, at heart, a pacifist myself, I hear you. I hear you! I am sure you have positively touched the lives of many more people on these boards than you know of. I am honored to have "met" you here.
May the road be gentle under your feet.
And may I also say a thank you to a group of people I do not know - your friends and caregivers helping you through this transition. They obviously love you so very much.
JJ
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Stephanie, you are such an extraordinary and beautiful soul. I will read and re-read your posts until it is my time to transition. I will rejoice in your passing because you will finally be free.
Thanks for all you have given us. I am hoping you have a great sense of fullfillment for the immense gifts you have given to so many.
God bless you!
Love and gratitude, Melanie
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Dear Stephanie – Your work here is nearly done and you've left behind not only an incredible legacy of strength and lovingkindness, but a legion of kindred spirits.
You'll live on through your words long after you've broken free from your earthly body, and thus help those who will follow after you.
You've taught us all so much with your wit, compassion, courage, and honesty. Everyone who has read even one of your posts will always remember you. Fly free and know that you leave a piece of yourself in each of us.
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Stephanie, thinking of you as you near your transition. I'm very grateful for our time together, for all your wisdom of your bco posts, blog posts, links, and private messages. I thank the many caregivers who have helped you these many months. I pray that your transition is gentle and soon. Holding you gently, love, Madelyn
The Ship
What is dying
I am standing on the seashore, a ship sails in the morning breeze and starts for the ocean.
She is an object of beauty and I stand watching her till at last she fades on the horizon and someone at my side says: "She is gone."
Gone!
Where
Gone from my sight that is all.
She is just as large in the masts, hull and spars as she was when I saw her, and just as able to bear her load of living freight to its destination.
The diminished size and total loss of sight is in me, not in her, and just at the moment when someone at my side says,
"She is gone"
there are others who are watching her coming, and other voices take up a glad shout:
"There she comes!"
and that is dying.Bishop Brent
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For everyone.
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Today is November 2nd and I hope you get your wings like you wanted. Fly free from cancerland and be joyful. We will miss you but know a sweet release awaits and freedom from pain.
(((Hugs))) love to you!
rosevalley
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Stephanie, if anyone deserves to get her wings and fly free today, it is you.
You are large in my thoughts today.
JJ
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Stephanie,
You have been on my mind all day. Love you!
Mary Anne
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