My Hero

I'd like to spend a few minutes today sharing about a great woman's life.  Sallie Ride was a great inspiration for women to reach their dreams, and women around America are mourning her loss.  But there's another strong woman who defied social norms that I want to talk about today - my cousin.

Of all my family members I have always felt the strongest connection to her, most certainly because we both felt different from the rest of the family.  Teresa always did what she felt was right, even when it went against the strong Southern values of the rest of the family.  Teresa was a free-spirited artist, yet was incredibly down to earth.  She loved to garden and to make things - food, sculptures, whatever she wanted.  She loved antiques and nature.  She had her own orchard and complained when the city built a highway near her property.  She loved vegetarian cook books.  She loved order, and I inherited my love for libraries and all things alphabetized from her.  Most importantly, Teresa loved God.  She demonstrated that in a way few of us ever do- with her money.  Teresa was an incredibly generous woman when it came to God.  Ironically, what annoyed the rest of the family is what made me love her most.  Teresa lived out her own values to the fullest despite what everyone else wanted her to do.

Cancer often comes into our lives without knocking.  There was no way of knowing how quickly it would steal her away from me.  James 4:14 KJV tells us " Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." How quickly she vanished.  And how quickly her memory seems to vanish from the rest of the family - but not from me.  In true Teresa fashion, she is leaving her house to the church, something that has angered the rest of the family.  My good friend Hannah said it best "I am actually shocked but thrilled that Teresa would leave her house to her church! :) It's very fitting. If she has no dependents, why leave it to people who probably don't need it and aren't really part of her life?"  How well said!  What an inspiration she was to me, to follow my faith to the fullest!  I really hope she knew what she meant to me.  I have the hope that if she didn't, I can tell her all about it when I see her in heaven.  What a mansion she'll have there.  These are the heroes we need - not just women who flew into space despite the cultural stigma against them (although we need those, too!), but real, every day women who led their lives the way they felt best, even when their own family resented them for it.  And what a kind and loving heart she kept through it all!