My Soul Sister and the Journey through Cancer

2 years ago today, my precious soul sister of 3o+ years transitioned from this life.  My heart aches at the loss of Marci’s physical presence in my life.  I knew we’d be friends the minute I set eyes on her.  I was 14 when we 1st met and she was my Young Life leader.  She led a small group of high school girls on our spiritual journey.  It became clear that we shared a common thirst to understand and explore the depths of our faith and the richness of our explorations became my soul food.

Marci and I stayed connected through the years but the most extraordinary chapter of our friendship surfaced when she was 1st given the diagnosis of cancer of the appendix.   I knew within me that I was to walk alongside of her and face whatever was to come together.   This forged a depth of connection between us that continues to this day.  8 years we walked through this painful, uncertain, challenging chapter facing her cancer together.  Constant phone calls processing the emotional upheavals involved with every doctor’s prognosis, diagnosis and opinion and encouraging her night and day to visualize herself fully and completely healed and in radiant health.

Bravely she chose to explore every possible means of medicine from western to alternative.  She embraced  juicing, special alkaline water, acupuncture, meditation, yoga, herbs, cleanses, energy work…  Surrounded by an amazing family who love and adore her, she was willing to do whatever it took to beat the cancer.  When she decided to eat nothing by living foods to support her body’s natural healing process, I felt compelled to do so alongside of her.  This became a treasured gift between us.  When she was encouraged to do a liver cleanse… we tackled that together.   This one was especially tough but we held each other up during the arduous process of drinking disgusting tonics and detoxing our livers together.

She shared her fears of death and the pain and sorrow she felt at the possibility of leaving her precious daughters- Brynn, Ryan & Ang, her son- Josh and her husband- Ron behind, as well as, her adored grand babies.   I held hope when she ran out and felt if love alone could heal- she’d be in radiant health, as few people were surrounded by as much love as Marci.

We would share a cup of tea and lay down on a soft blanket outside on the grass under the most glorious tree, I affectionately called Mighty One.   We would envision together the strength of the earth supporting her healing process and the heavens above radiating God’s love through each cell in her body.  We shared our hearts, our fears, our joys and our gratitude.  She lived vibrantly and pain free for 8 years- unheard of with her rare form of cancer.

Blessed beyond measure to have had Marci in my life, I am thankful for the incredible gift of our journey together as soul sisters for our 30+ years.   She can never be replaced and although I can feel her with me- I miss simply being together sharing the depths of our soulful discoveries.  Thank you, my dear Marci, for being my family…my sister…I miss you.