From Babs

Dear Family, Friends and Readers of Renee,

I am truly honored to be included in a group that Renee called her friends.

I first discovered Renee through reading her comments on KJ's blog. She was so cleverly funny, sincerely kind, and genuine sounding in her appreciation and love of others, that I immediately wanted to know her myself. I clicked on her name to get to her blog and was blown away to discover that she was sick. Very sick. I couldn't believe it, as I'd never have known it by reading her comments to others. Renee was all about others, and not herself.

I was a little dismayed to see she had so many followers, but left a comment anyway, never dreaming she would have the time or interest to visit one more blog. But visit she did. It was never a 'generic' comment she left on my blog, but one that made me know she was actually reading, and knowing me,,,,me personally. I am including a favorite conversation I had with Renee. It's a comment I made on her blog, and her reply to it. It was a post about a fun group forming a virtual "Gypsy Caravan" to travel the world, spreading good cheer. I wanted so badly to join in and be a part of the fun, but didn't feel like I should jump into someone else's dream, uninvited. Maybe I could just follow along from the sidelines and enjoy watching the tour.

My comment:

"On the road again
like a band of gypsies we go down the highway
we're the best of friends, insisting that the world keep turning our way,,,,,"

oh,,,'scuse me, I got caught up in the moment.Willie says he and I can sit in, do a few sets in your Caravan Show if you're needin any more entertainers.

January 27, 2010 11:43 PM

And Renee's reply:

Oh darling you must join and you are gypsy 24. You and Willie can sing even that same song everyday if you both don't know any others.

Love you darling Babs.

Renee xoxo

January 28, 2010 6:24 AM

To me, this is the essence of Renee. To include all in her circle of love. To love when she didn't feel like it. To have fun and be witty while in such pain. To attend to others needs. Her grace and strength always shining.

I am so proud to be able to say that I know Renee, and I am her friend. I think of her daily and watch for her in all things beautiful in this world. Till we meet again Dear Renee,,,I will quote you: "Thanks for the priviledge".

Babs

Oklahoma, USA

From nollyposh

..

It has taken me a long time to write these words about our Dearest Renee...
.
Because her passing touched me in a place so deep within,
that it was too painful a process for my Heart..
For her passing into Spirit from my Life created a big hole...
and that was where for a time, that i fell... on my knees, deep into the darkness of loss...
Where my tears fell and my fears grew and my Heart broke and shattered like glass...
Our Dearest Renee was *gone*
And if the vibrant, the talented,
the completely Loved Renee could
~Disappear~
Then perhaps so could i too
in the blink of an eye...
My fears shouted this to me at night and whispered to me in my daylight hours
in the days, in the Lifetime since her death...
In this place that i fell, where even the brightest Sun could not reach into the depths of my darkness...
She had cancer and so once did i, so where were the differences between us? i wondered
And if she could not find her way through the darkness...
Then were we so different to each other?
So what did my Dearest Renee, my teacher, My~self, do?
She but took me by the hand and lead me down through the tunnels of my Fears
she went knowingly with me, with her eyes wide open and armed and ready like a soldier...
And like an avenging Angel she showed me how to fight the demons of my darkest places
and she did so with such vitality and bravery that it took my breath away...
She was sliced and bruised and bled by her monsters and yet she fought on
as i helplessly watched on with only my tears as a salve for her jagged cuts...
But did she fall? Never for she made her fears, her strengths, as only an Angel can
and she knitted them into a shawl, to keep her warm, and so when the voices tried to visit her in the darkness
she simply pulled her shawl closer like a shield... For she knew the thread was strong
because it was created from the Love of her Family and Friends and her Bloggy sista's in the Worlde Beyond
My sista, my Friend, Our Renee was and still is, i Believe, an Angel
who through teaching us how to die with Dignity
taught us All how to Live in Love
For that is All there is
~Love~
...and MY Renee taught me that