“I will love you wherever you are from wherever I am.” This is my new favorite quote, spoken by little Chloe (not quite 4 years old) to her mommy, daddy, and little brother to comfort them before she died of brain cancer. Remarkable! She was an extraordinarily wise and compassionate person, beyond her years. She also told them she would save them a seat in heaven. (Gut-wrenching, isn’t it?) Though Chloe is now “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” (her favorite song), her spirit remains with us in tangible ways. We felt it yesterday at her memorial service. There was not a dry eye in the house, though it was a celebration of her life and love and gifts and lessons. So many lessons to learn from this little child: the lesson to appreciate every day, every moment; the lesson to take things one step at a time; the lesson to face adversity with courage (Chloe was recently crowned the “Princess of Courage” by Cinderella herself), to find joy in nature (Chloe loved the Dallas Arboretum), to touch the people that you love. Those closest to her said when she would reach up from her death-bed to rub your head and touch your face, it felt like being touched by the hand of God. Exactly. What I know for sure…God speaks, teaches, comforts, challenges, works through the lives of our children. Listen, learn, receive, and be blessed.
“I will love you wherever you are from wherever I am.” What a lasting gift of comfort for her family to hold in their hearts as they ache through life. I was struck by the transcendent message of the simple words. As a mother, I will now repeat these words to my children – what a wonderful sentiment for them to have when they go to to Kindergarten, to college, back-packing through Europe, moving away from my arms and my nest, and finally, when I die. What I know for sure…Love never ends. That was the message of Chloe’s service, and that can be her legacy to us.
(Donations may be made in her honor to the Dallas Arboretum Children’s Garden where her spirit will live on in “Chloe’s Woods”. dallasarboretum.org)
Read more posts on Chloe: \”Rough Day? Need Some Perspective?\”, \”Need Some News to Warm Your Heart?\”, \”Each Day is a Gift\”, \”Hold on to Your Angels\”
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