A Beautiful Life

 

     I first met Caitlin when I started nursing school at Southern Adventist University. We were both nursing students. From the first time I met her, she always had a smile and a kind word. We would take turns driving the carpool to our clinicals during nursing school. Caitlin always had a song to sing or some thought to share with us while we were driving.
     When I became engaged, Caitlin and some other friends, prepared a song for our wedding shower. It was such a beautiful song that we used the same song at our wedding. Caitlin had been the one to pick it out and it was perfect.
     During our second year of nursing school, I became pregnant with Hope. Caitlin made a beautiful small blanket for our newborn baby. Right now, Ephram is sleeping on it in his crib. It's one of the blankets that all three of our children have used. I'm sure Caitlin sewed it with love.
     Before we came to Thailand, in 2010, we went around the country visiting family and friends. I remember we went to Tennessee and to Southern, and I remember meeting up with Caitlin there and chatting for a little bit. That's the last time that I saw Caitlin, but she was as beautiful, cheerful, kind and loving as always.
     Two years ago, I learned that Caitlin had esophageal cancer and was receiving treatment for it. The treatment went well, but her body was unable to take the final dose of chemo. It appeared at that time that she was in remission. But then six months ago, Caitlin wrote on her blog that her PET scan had shown mets to her lungs and lymph nodes. She and her family had researched ALL her options and looked at ALL the most current information for treatment. She had decided against traditional treatments.
     I followed Caitlin on her blog... I sent her a card once from Thailand. I never heard back from her, so I don't know if she ever received it. Sometimes things get lost in the mail between here and the States. Caitlin loved to write. She loved words and painting pictures with them. She loved photographs as well, but reading how she put words together was always enjoyable.
     Four months ago, Caitlin said her x-rays were clear, but x-rays don't show the smaller tumors. She wrote that her tumor markers in her blood were increased. Then she wrote these words, "I do not know what my future is - only where it is - His hands. But I do know that He is graciously answering the many prayers by giving me more time so far. For this I am grateful. For the precious time that it gives me with those I love so much!"
     Then, a few days ago, a mutual friend posted on Facebook that Caitlin had lost her voice a couple months ago, and that she was now having difficulty breathing. And today, she passed away....
     I have many memories of Caitlin. I remember nursing classes with her, nursing clinicals with her, her violin playing at our wedding shower, her bringing me the blanket that she had made for Hope. One time, as we were walking down a hospital hallway to our clinical, we passed a janitor mopping the floor. Caitlin stopped, and said to him, "Thank you so much for doing such a good job!" She was always thinking of others, always willing to lend a helping hand, say a kind word, pray together. Caitlin loved to sing, loved to be out in nature, loved words and books. She walked with poise and dignity, with joy on her face and in her heart.
     I am not exaggerating when I say that I have never seen Jesus reflected so clearly as I did in Caitlin's life. She was selfless, joyful, loyal, kind, loving, respectful, thoughtful. I can not think of ANYTHING negative to say about the life that she lived. Although her life was cut so short (she was only 25 or 26... maybe younger?) it was full of meaning, and not wasted at all. Every day of Caitlin's life, she was an inspiration to those around her.
     Thank you God, for the gift of Caitlin. All of us who have known her have caught a better glimpse of You.