I had trouble sleeping Sunday night. My phone rang late and the conversation kept me up. On the west coast my brother couldn't get to sleep either, and near the Gulf, my mom watched television until four in the morning. Coincidence? A random happening? Or was there something else at work? What I found out Monday night makes me wonder.

Someone died yesterday. Someone dies everyday. But yesterday I knew one of them. She lived a good life and raised what most would consider a good, close family. She enjoyed several grandchildren and a devoted husband, traveled often, and participated in a variety of social activities. She was able to retire several years ago and spend time with her children and grandchildren and helping various others she met. Her faith kept her grounded and supported her always. She was tough, intelligent, and extremely loyal to loved ones. Like many, she could be stubborn, bullish to a fault, quick to point out blame and slow to accept it.

When the doctors found the cancer it was too advanced for anything but hope, and that didn't get her past two months.

I won't pretend that I knew this woman that well or that I'm devastated at the loss. But today I tried to be more appreciative and I still walked out of work upset over trivial things. So tonight I paid tribute to this woman by sitting on a park bench and eating an ice cream cone, enjoying the bright moon and wisp of fall. I slowed down and watched people, felt the chill in the air, and awed at the stars. And if that was in some way a final gift from her, I thank her for it; I remember her and the life she lived and the good she tried to do for others with the time she had.