A Time To Pass

August 1997 I met and began working for an amazing woman Patty who I have grown to love as my other mother. Over the years I have become close to her family and they have taken me under their wing on numerous occasions. One individual sticks out in particular. That is Patty's mom Linda. Linda would come to visit her grand children as often as she could, first only needing to travel a short distance from San Fernando Valley then in later years making the trek on various special occasions from Las Vegas. Linda never missed Grandparent's Day and her grandchildren's schools. In the beginning I learned to love a quirky little trait about Linda that I was reminded of today while at work. I took a filled glass that had been set aside and I emptied it and I laughed a little as I did it. Linda earned a reputation for never letting anything go idle without placing it in proper order. It became a little mission of mine to try to have the house in order before her visits, but without fail she would find my unaccomplished task and do it for me and if there wasn't a task she would make one and the cupboards and drawers would miraculously be clean and organized. I like to think I adopted this great trait. One Thanksgiving I was given the chance to travel to her home on a train with her two grandsons J.T. and Chandler ages 5 and 2 respectively. Linda was so excited for our visit and I'd never been so nervous as when I was asked to say grace over the meal. A number of years went by and I moved into the home of Nancy, Linda's youngest daughter. Linda's youngest grandson Kenny was born on my birthday. I just saw Kenny two days after his dear grandmothers passing. He's five nearly six years old now. I asked him his birthday and he told me the date and I said to him that's my birthday. He just looked at me and replied,"then how are you so much older than me?" I know his grandma was laughing in heaven at her little grandson's logic. Linda came to stay for two weeks following his birth to help Nancy get settled. Just over one year later I relocated to southern California to accept a new position as a nanny.  I was fired from that job and I remember Linda saying, Joanie it was God's timing. November 2007 Linda was diagnosed with breast cancer for a second time and underwent a bilateral mastectomy and was scheduled to begin chemotherapy. I returned to Santa Barbara to live with Nancy and care for her children so she could be with her mom for her first week of chemotherapy. Linda got through chemotherapy and beat breast cancer for a second time. Fast forward to November of 2008 I was faced with a life altering experience. Patty came to my rescue with her mom following close behind a month later on Christmas day. I had worked my night shift on Christmas Eve at the rehab facility that shared its quarters with the homeless shelter. I slept all day on Christmas. I felt so sad and so alone I hadn't heard from any of my family. I went into Pattys home and Linda was there with a gift for me. It was a set of pots and pans and she said it was for when I got a place of my own. She didn't know I was working on finding a place to move, but that was such a special kindness she shared with me. Linda was amazing that way she always knew what each of us needed to receive, to hear and to have. Fast forward yet again to 2010. Linda had some tests run and cancer was found in her bones. She had shots, radiation and chemo and stayed positive through it all. The last time I spoke to Linda was April 23, 2012 it was the day after my grandma passed away. Linda had posted a Facebook message to me and I was calling to thank her. Linda was on her way to a scheduled appointment for lab work, but she took the time to take my call and she wasn't thinking about herself, but she wanted to know how I was and to send my family her sympathies. That is what I will remember Linda for most. She may have been battling cancer, but she wanted to know how everyone else around her was doing and she put everyone in her life and their needs before her own. I learned she was born in a small town called Independence and she left this earth a short time after midnight on Independence Day. We all knew she would go out with a glow in the sky! Linda left an amazing legacy of beautiful people behind and I know I am forever impacted by her example of strength, kindness and love through all adversities and walks of life.