Today is her birthday.  I don’t know exactly how old she would have been, a lady never tells.  She had an ageless timeless spirit that burned so brightly, illuminating the lives of everyone she met, that her flame burned out long before any of us were prepared to let her go.

I met her in what can only be viewed as a God ordained encounter.  After our first  meeting, we saw each other once or twice a year in the 10 years I knew her.  In each interaction she shared her wisdom, artistry and love with me unconditionally.  For that I will be eternally grateful.

This Thanksgiving week in America, I am choosing to reflect each day on someone I am thankful to have shared my life with.  Today, on her birthday, I will reflect upon and celebrate my friend Debra.  May she rest in eternal peace in the arms of the Lord I know she loved.