First off I want to thank everyone sooooooooo much for all of your thoughtful comments, emails, cards and gifts! My birthday was absolutely amazing and by far the best yet. I feel so unbelievably grateful for all the love I received and all of the wonderful people I have so close to me in my life. It is you who make my life so beautiful and I love you for it!
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On a sadder note, however, we lost a friend this morning. Shannon Fisher, who went to high school with us in Fresno at San Joaquin Memorial has sadly passed away today after struggling for years sick with lupus. She was a wonderful, beautiful woman with an amazingly good heart, a great sense of humor and a consistently positive attitude despite her suffering. She is truly a wonderful inspirational example of strength, courage, class, faith and grace.
Just to give you an idea of who Shannon was as a person I am reposting her last blog post from December. It's a poem she wrote called "Faith" about her situation. Keep in mind that at this point Shannon had been sick and suffering for over 10 years.
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December 2, 2007 - Sunday
~ fAiTh ~
Current mood: inspired
Faith... What's the meaning of the word?
Why is believing in one thing that much considered so absurd?
When the whole world is against you and it's nothing you understand,
It's that thing that tells you anyway to lend someone your hand.
When the tears fall never ending, or at least so it may it seem,
It's what makes a heart that broken still find a way to dream.
When a body's forced to suffer cause the illness just won't give,
It's the strength that keeps it fighting for one more day to live.
When feeling alone is the one thing you simply cannot bare,
It's the reason you still smile when no one else is even there.
If faced with losing everything, all you love and all you know,
It's how you find the courage that will allow you to let go.
Take a step out of the moment when it's filled with such despair,
When you seem to fall the hardest, it's what compels you still to care.
It's in each and every one of us, and it's how you made it through,
It's been on your side forever... Even when you never knew.
Currently listening to:Stand
By Made Popular By: Rascal Flatts
Release date: By 02 April, 2007
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A toast to you, Shannon, for being the beautiful inspiring person you are and teaching others strength, courage and faith by example. Our world would be such a better place if there were more people like you in it. You will be missed, but I think only heaven itself could deserve you.
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