The #death of a stranger and its impact on my life #shareyourhappy

A fellow blogger and journalist, Tracy Chappell passed away. I did not know her personally and only ever met her twice at BlissDom Canada but I loved to read her writing. I would connect with her words, lose myself in her stories and connect with her thoughts. 

Her passing saddens me. Despite not knowing her personally, I feel the loss of a great writer, mom, journalist, sister, daughter and so many more roles she must have held throughout her life and in the hearts of her loved ones.

You see, when a journalist or blogger writes we reveal a piece of our soul in our every word. Our creative footprint marks our pages, the screens upon which you read our written word. We leave a piece of us behind. In a sense it becomes a part of our legacy. Who we are, what we feel and what we make you think. When I write, I will my words to sink into your mind, your hearts and if I feel passionately enough about what I am writing then I wish even still for my words to make their way deeper into your soul. To sit there, to stir about inside of you. To make you question your thoughts, your conceptions and your thinking. That, in my opinion is the ultimate job of a great writer.

We each have our legacy we leave behind for our family. The passing of this beautiful mind has saddened me. Many die each and every day, it is not often however that we catch a glimpse inside of their soul from which their words pour forth. It may sound poetic but it is laden with truth. Too often our lives are filled interacting with others at a distance, though a screen, over the phone, through pleasantries. The beauty of the written word is it reveals nuances of the heart from which it emanates. It offers a sneak peak inside of the mind where it originates and ultimately it travels into the heart and mind of its recipient, the reader.

This death reminds me of the fragility of life, the closeness of death, the uncertainty of it all. We live like we will life forever yet too often hear of loved ones taken so soon.

My heart aches for these children whom I have never met. I have seen their images on Instagram, engaged with stories about them on social media. They will no longer have a mom to tuck them in at night, to cuddle with and to guide them through life. They will inevitably grow and cling tight to her memories yet ache for her presence with each passing day. I know this feeling, but much later in life. As difficult as it has been living much of my adult life without my mom, I am so incredibly thankful to have had my mom by my side throughout my youth. To teach and to guide me, to impart her wisdom and most importantly share her love. I cannot imagine the sorrow these young children must be experiencing. I think of my own children and shudder at the thought of them not having me there by their side.

Having dealt with major health problems last year, I was forced to question my own manner of thinking, evaluate my priorities, question my every decision in relation to my health. It ultimately forced me to appreciate the simple things in life; my family, close friends and the things that make me happy. 

As I said above, I did not know Tracy personally. I do however wish her friends and family nothing but peace, serenity and comfort in her memories. May she rest in peace.

NOTE: This post has been updated to include Tracy’s full name.