To My Friend...

"If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don’t have integrity, nothing else matters."

A very good friend of ours passed away. Our family has mourned this week. But thoughts have come to my mind that I would like to pay tribute to her and her life. The quote above, by Winston Churchill, is my new favorite quote. Karen, you have everything.

I was watching a show the other day when Jon Huntsman was being interviewed. He made a remark about how you should live your life in such a way that you imagine the eulogy at your funeral and what people will say about how you lived and imagine how many people will be there. I have believed this for a long time thanks to "A Christmas Carol" with George C. Scott. At the end of his night time journey with the spirit of Christmas future, he sees people laughing about his death. He sees people that have stolen his personal belongings and sells them for change. He sees his own tombstone with his name on it...and no one is sad that he died. No one even cared.

We all know people who "pretend" to be good in front of other people to get brownie points. Is that integrity? No. We all know people who do really bad things and blame other people for it or play the victim. Is that integrity? No. Honestly, no one would really care if those people died. Are you one of those people?

Karen, I know there will be standing room only at your funeral...because you are a good person. I also know what kind of things will be said at your funeral, because you are a good person. Karen, you are a hero to many people. You are a hero to our family.

Thank you for your friendship over the many years. Thank you for your support and understanding over the last year or so. Thank you for the memories. Thank you for being our savior in so many ways.

You are my hero!