Julie Beth Little, as we once knew her, left this world on June 17, 2014.
Due to an unforeseen illness, a beast of a cancer, her life was taken away as she watched her baby girl slowly fade.
Once the life of the party, she now dreads social events and really has to pull all her energy out to endure them. She often would feel comfortable talking to people in large crowds, but no longer. Instead, her appeal to social situations in large crowds has left her. She enjoys the quiet, one on one situations of truly getting to know one's soul. It's all she can handle. To focus in on one person and see who they are and where they are at.
Before, she was blind to the world of pain around her. Oblivious to others suffering, she happily lived in her bubble of security, assurance, and routine. But now, she no longer is blind. Death has brought to her light. And she can not look away.
Never one to cry in public, she no longer is who she was. Gone are the days of holding it together. Now, tears freely fall and she doesn't care who sees them.
Julie was notorious for enjoying the moment and living in the now. She loved to fully enjoy the happiness of it all. No longer. Forever will sorrow be intermingled with happiness. Now, she knows what true joy was, and what it could be again. With that sorrow comes a gift of hope and appreciation.
Previously, she did not know what true living was. Not until she died, did she understand life. For in death, she sees that life is about Him. Hope, love and mercy are the foundations of all things.
So even though we mourn the death of Julie, she is in a better place. She knows that even though there is suffering, healing is around the corner. Even though there seems to be hopelessness, it's never forever lost. And even though everything is mingled with pain, there will be one day a time with no more pain.
