2017. It was suppose to be a year of unbridled joy. That was the word that I chose and the word my Aunt Diane settled upon to define this past year. However, this year didn't fit the vision that I had hoped and prayed for - my definition of joy was not met. We lost my Pop-pop and, most jarringly and suddenly, my aunt Diane in September. She left behind a husband and sons, a sister and a brother, and more friends than anyone can tally. The world darkened the day she left us. That day, Jesus wept.
But. My Aunt embodied the word joy. She has her whole life. Joy is not based on our circumstances but on how we choose to move forward despite those circumstances. My Aunt struggled with pain not just in her final months, but for the majority of her adult life. She smiled through it anyways. She laughed through it anyways. She loved through it anyways.
We miss her. It's not fair she is gone. It's still not right that she left before her time should have been up. However, I hope to continue to live my life defined by joy just like Dee chose to do, not just in 2017, but for her entire life. She left a legacy that we all can aspire to.
Despite a year marked by so much loss and sadness, God has gifted us with so much to celebrate. I look forward to all the healing, hope, and new life 2018 has in store for our entire family.
