My Faithful Friend.

“Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart”

Eleanor Roosevelt This is a very apt statement in my estimation. I am blessed to have many friends who have walked into my life and left extraordinary footprints on my heart. Most of which I am still blessed to see and know today..... But then there are the few who slip away from me , they leave me and it is completely out of my control. This is not because of arguments or fights , but because God has called them away , to be with him - His plans are greater .     On two occasions , two very good friends of mine have left this earth to go with God. One of those friends was Ms.Siobhan Cotter, the vice principle of my secondary school. Although I wasn't a student there when she passed away - we were still great friends. Siobhan was the life and soul of everything and everyone she came across, she definitely was for me. She treated me like I was her little daughter. Always calling me " Denis's baby " or "baby girl" . That woman touched my life in ways that I can not put words to - and although she died when I was only 12 she has , in ways molded the kind of person I am today. Her influence made me want to be like her. She will always hold a special place in my heart.  Then there is someone who really I have no words to describe , a person who embodied faith, love , kindness and being a friend. Sr.Patricia O'Brien . This woman is an inspiration to me, she was such a marvelous person . I have known her for a very large portion of my life , having grown up in a town where everyone knew you - we knew each other. When I came to secondary school she was my 1st year English teacher . It was an absolute honor to sit in her class , to watch her teach. One of Ireland top English teacher ,everything she said was profound in a way . She retired that year but continued to stay on in the school doing as sr.Patrica did. She was the backbone to that school but did it with such a quiet manor that sometimes it went unnoticed . One of my fondest memories of that school was : Every morning at about 8:50am I would make my way down the long hallway to get to her office , where she would undoubtedly be waiting. I would carry the basket which contained prayer sheet , for morning assembly. On these short walks every morning we would have our daily chat- she always managed to impart some fragment of wisdom onto me . be it telling me to just be myself, don't worry about the others , keep calm, don't stress .... she always made me feel better- always !! In her retirement speech she - as she always did, blew me away . The speech which was to thank staff and students alike also became a life lesson . to quote her " it's what our lives are about, to follow the teaching of Christ in our daily commitment to him, live each day to the full , make it a masterpiece, at home, school, in the wider community. If I could have some small impact on others , then you can achieve so much more, as we all serve the one Lord,Believe in the power of the spirit". She was forever teaching people to be everything they could - to be the person God made them to be. One thing I will disagree with is , she had a very big impact on peoples lives.... not "some small impact " She impacted mine in so many ways, something I could never thank her enough for. When sr.Patrica fell ill in the later part of last year - the news hit me like a ton of bricks . I was shocked to hear that my forever friend was sick. I prayed and asked God to help her, give her strength and make her better.After a very scary incident near Christmas time I decided that it was time I told this person whom I love dearly just that- that she has inspired me , made me a better person and will continue to do so for my entire life. I went to the hospital she was in - I will never forget the sparkle in her eye and the little smile creeping across her face when I walked in , she grabbed my hand and said " my faithful friend " . Those words are on my heart forever . she was my very faithful friend and I hers . As I was leaving I took hold of her hands gave her a kiss on the cheek and told her I loved her. She smiled and waved as I walked out the door . This inspiring woman passed away today . She is now in heaven with God - where only angels belong . She will continue to be an inspiration to me always , of this I am certain. "Life is a sort of splendid torch, which I have got hold of for a moment, I want to make it burn as brightly as possible , before handing it on to future generations. Gratitude makes sense of the past, brings Peace to today , creates a vision for tomorrow" ~ George B Shaw & Sr.Patricia.  All my love always. Aoife Marie Elizabeth  ♪