LTS: rest in peace

<p>Dear friends,</p>

<p>LTS’s last post was announcing her clear brain scan; she was herself and with us to the end. </p>

<p>Her own thoughts would be first for her daughter, then her caregivers, others suffering with her disease or any other, then her clients, then her medical personnel, then the CC community and only lastly for herself.</p>

<p>May we all keep all of these people in our hearts as LTS would want us to.</p>

<p>I am sending love to all. </p>

<p>I am acknowledging and saluting my fellow CC’ers who also taught me above love with a special tribute to epistrophy and ADad.</p>

<p>There is such inspiration here and so many signposts about how to live.</p>

<p>Rest in peace, LTS. </p>

<p>To everyone else, be gentle with yourselves today and then let us recommit ourselves to LTS’s fight for humanity for all.</p>

<p>I am also hoping to learn where donations can be made. </p>

<p>I am thinking of LTS’ daughter, losing her only parent at such an early age. I know that she is strong and resourceful, and I am sure that LTS made sure that she has much support from friends. But I am wondering whether we could somehow be “virtual godmothers (and fathers)” - a group to which she can come for advice and practical help. CC has become my primary resource for all sorts of things, ranging from parenting advice to vacation advice, and not only have I always found wonderful advice here, I have also received practical help offline from at least 3 posters. I am wondering whether this is something that we could do for LTS’ daughter.</p>

<p>I am at a loss for words.</p>

<p>I gasped aloud when I read the subject line of this thread.</p>

<p>May her memory be for a blessing.</p>

<p>Once there was a way to get back homeward
Once there was a way to get back home
Sleep pretty darling do not cry
And I will sing a lullabye
Golden slumbers fill your eyes
Smiles awake you when you rise
Sleep pretty darling do not cry
And I will sing a lullabye
Once there was a way to get back homeward
Once there was a way to get back home
Sleep pretty darling do not cry
And I will sing a lullabye</p>

<p>Golden Slumbers (Lennon/McCartney)</p>

<p>^^ crossposted with tango14</p>

<p>NYMomof2 … do you think we are even wondering if we can? I think of course we can, and will be a resource for LTS D . </p>

<p>Just like the good threads are for helping anyone/everyone, but with just a little more compassion set up in the LTS threads.</p>

<p>soozievt, thank you for putting that down. It’s what we are all feeling. I plan on going back an reading her posts from the time before I joined cc. I’ll be laughing and crying my way thru.</p>

<p>Thank you to everyone who is posting poetry and song lyrics. They are comforting.</p>

<p>LTS Daughter, I just wanted you to know that over the time we “knew” each other, your mom was like a big sister or a mentor to me. She really understood the hopes and fears of someone who hadn’t gone to college to try and make a better future for her child. Your mom wanted the world for you. I will send my prayers and best energy for your spectacular success and joy – such that your mom will know that she did what she planned in sending you on your way. Wherever you go and whatever you do, prayers and love and dreams will light your path.</p>

<p>May eternal light always shine on our dear friend LTS. I will continue to hold her and her D in prayer. Thank you, LTS for what you have taught me. And thank you also to all the people who have shared their thoughts with others on this site.</p>

<p>And we Bid you goodnight </p>

<p>Lay down my dear brother, lay down and take your rest,
Won’t you lay your head upon your savior’s chest,
I love you all, but Jesus loves you the best</p>

<h2>And we bid you goodnight, goodnight, goodnight.</h2>

<p>Box of Rain
written by a member of the band after their father died</p>

<p>Look out of any window, any morning, any evening, any day.
Maybe the sun is shining, birds are singing,
No rain is falling from a heavy sky.
What do you want me to do, to do for you to see you through?
For this is all a dream we dreamed one afternoon, long ago.</p>

<p>Walk out of any doorway, feel your way, feel your way like the day before.
Maybe youll find direction,
Around some corner where its been waiting to meet you.
What do you want me to do, to watch for you while you are sleeping?
The please dont be surprised when you find me dreaming too.</p>

<p>Look into any eyes you find by you, you can see clear to another day,
Maybe been seen before, through other eyes on other days while going home.
What do you want me to do, to do for you to see you through?
Its all a dream we dreamed one afternoon, long ago.</p>

<p>Walk into splintered sunlight,
Inch your way through dead dreams to another land.
Maybe youre tired and broken,
Your tongue is twisted with words half spoken and thoughts unclear</p>

<p>What do you want me to do, to do for you to see you through?
A box of rain will ease the pain, and love will see you through.</p>

<p>Just a box of rain, wind and water,
Sun and shower, wind and rain,
In and out the window like a moth before a flame.</p>

<p>And its just a box of rain, I dont know who put it there,
Believe it if you need it, or leave it if you dare.</p>

<p>And its just a box of rain, or a ribbon for your hair;
Such a long long time to be gone, and a short time to be there.</p>

<p>Last night, a few minutes before 11 EST, I suddenly felt a sense of calm as I was holding LTS in my thoughts. I was pretty sure that I would hear of her passing this morning. Just the same, I am sitting here with tears running down my cheeks. I can’t believe how much she gave to all of us in such a short time! May she rest in peace … and may the love we are sending to her daughter help her through this difficult time.</p>

<p>Wishing much peace and comfort to LTS’s family and friends. She was a wise and caring person who inspired many. God speed.</p>

<p>Latetoschool will continue to inspire us, I think forever. Her utterly captivating spirit and her way with words, her indomitable courage, and her deep love for others, most especially her daughter, were our daily inspiration. I don’t own a pair of red shoes but I am going to buy one, and they will be my tangible reminder to try to live each day as fully as LTS lived hers. </p>

<p>As parents, I think that our worries about our own mortality are always centered on who will take care of our children and give them guidance if we are gone. The thought that we could offer that to LTS’ daughter for any of her needs is a wonderful one, thank you for thinking of that NYMomof2 and I hope that we can form that kind of a group for her, so that anywhere in the country she goes, she knows that there are people who “knew” her mom and are there for help and even hugs.</p>

<p>I was very nervous about checking in this morning and am stunned and overwhelmed by sadness right now. I so admire the spunk and spirit and determination and energy of LTS. My heart goes out to her daughter and to all of us on CC who will miss her. Thank you Marite for acting as liaison between LTS/her daughter and her cyberfamily here on CC. I have learned so much from LTS and only hope that I can be half as proactive should I ever find myself in her position. Now I need to go off and cry some tears.</p>

<p>I will buy some red heels and wear them and think of LTS, her grace, her grit, and her gusto for life. Wishes for peace and comfort to her wonderful daughter and friends.</p>

<p>It felt like springtime on this February morning
In the courtyard, birds were singing your praise
I’m still recalling things you said to make me feel alright
I carried them with me today, now </p>

<p>As I lay me down to sleep
This I pray
That you will hold me dear
Though I’m far away
I’ll whisper your name into the sky
And I will wake up happy </p>

<p>I wonder why I feel so high
Though I am not above the sorrow
Heavy hearted
Till you call my name
And it sounds like church bells
Or the whistle of a train
On a summer evening
I’ll run to meet you
Barefoot barely breathing </p>

<p>As I lay me down to sleep
This I pray
That you will hold me dear
Though I’m far away
I’ll whisper your name into the sky
And I will wake up happy </p>

<p>It’s not too near for me
Like a flower I need the rain
Though it’s not clear to me
Every season has its change
And I will see you
When the sun comes out again </p>

<p>As I lay me down to sleep
This I pray
That you will hold me dear
Though I’m far away
I’ll whisper your name into the sky
And I will wake up happy </p>

<p>Sophie B. Hawkins
(for her father)</p>

<p>I am wearing today my only pair of red shoes – they happen to be Earth Shoes, but who cares, it’s LTS’s red-shoe spirit that will carry me through the day. I will take a photo of my feet in them later, and would be happy to make a red-shoe collage if anyone would like to send me similar photos.</p>

<p>Rest in profound peace, LTS. May her daughter and friends be comforted by the knowledge that so many have been touched so deeply.</p>

<p>Before I found out this morning, I walked to my bus this morning listening to “red high heels” by that girl from American Idol. Not usually a fan of country music but that song made me smile.</p>

<p>“I’m about to show you just how missing me feels
in my red high heels.”</p>

<p>I think LTS would have laughed.</p>

<p>This is my first posting on an LTS-related thread. It’s hard to believe this woman who fought so valiantly, and taught us all so much about strength of spirit – is gone. I am numb. My deep sympathies to her daughter, loved ones, marite, and all on CC who followed her story.</p>

<p>In her first post on this thread, LTS humbly claimed, “I am no Randy Pausch and I do not possess his grace and class.” Then she spent the next 11 months proving herself wrong. Her wisdom, inspiration, grace, and class will be sorely missed but never forgotten.</p>