Sunday 30 January 2011

Sometimes words fail me



About 6 years ago, I thought I'd start a little journal online, a blog as it were. I started over on AOL Journals and I had no idea of just what an impact this little blog would have on my life. It gave me the opportunity to work things out in my mind, and to share my thoughts and joys, and most important of all . . . it gave me the opportunity to make and meet new friends, special friends, kindred spirit friends, eternal lifelong friends, invisible friends.

One of the sweetest bloggers I met, and one whom became one of my dearest and closest friends was Angie. (Can You All Hear Me At the Back) One of the sweetest, loveliest and dearest spirits on the web, I was so priviledged to call her friend, and to have been able to spend several occasions in her real life company. Oh what a dear sweet person . . .

About an hour ago, Angie's sister called me to let me know that Angie passed away this morning. I don't know what to say. My heart goes out to her family who must be feeling her loss even more keenly than myself, for after all . . . who am I, but . . . an invisible friend . . . the truth is Angie wasn't invisible to anyone who was lucky enough to know her. She touched all of our lives with her joy of life, her wit, her loving and caring ways . . . I don't know what else to say at the moment, as the tears are coming hard and fast. I know she is in a far better place, free from pain and the constraints of her disease. I will miss her so very much . . .

What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.
~Pericles

Angie left pieces of her beautiful heart woven into the lives of anyone lucky enough to know her. To know her was to love her.

Goodbye my sweet friend. I'll catch you on the other side, and then we'll give em hell together, eh! And Angie, we could always hear you at the back . . .




27 comments:

  1. May God bless Angie's friends as family as they journey through this time. I pray that the peace of God is known to all.

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  2. absolutely devastated and just don't know what to say...

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  3. My prayers and thoughts go out to you and Angie's family. God Bless.

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  4. My sympathies on the loss of a dear friend, Marie. Wishing you strength in coming to terms with your sad loss.

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  5. Marie, I am so sorry. The loss of a friend is one of life's greatest sorrows. You, Angie, and her family are in my prayers
    xoxo Pattie

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  6. Marie this is devasting news ,We will miss her so much ,as you say her wit and sense of humour was so up lifting, if there was a post from Angie you were guanteed a an interesting and humourous read ,and to speak to her on the phne was just as great ,Dear Keith and her brothers and sister, family and friends and of course her dear Muvver are going to miss her so very much ...love Jan xx

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  7. I too will miss her and the always cheerful words she'd share with us all. Angie was an inspiration to me. My thoughts and prayers are with her Keith and all the family.

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  8. Such sad news, big hugs to you Angie and love and prayers to Angie's family.
    Sheilagh
    xxx

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  9. This is one J-lander I never discovered, and now it is too late. My sympathies to all who knew and loved her.

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  10. this makes my heart so so sad this morning:( so sorry for the loss of your dear friend marie. prayers for you and for her family and friends that knew and loved her. thinking of you. . .xoxo

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  11. This as I have said earlier Marie is such a very big shock for me tonight coming online to switch off..Angie was just as you described her.I shall miss her laughs very much.May perpetual Light Shine Upon Our Dear Friend.Look after yourself Marie.Condolances to all Angies Family and to Keith.Take Care God Bless .Kath Motherhen and The Rooster.God Bless xxx

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  12. I am so sorry I didn't get to meet her....but am happy you did and she became such an important person in your life! I am so sorry she is gone....Sandy

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  13. My thoughts and prayers go out to you and Angie's family.

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  14. My sincere condolences go out to you.

    I firmly believe those we love live on in the stories we tell about them. You have done that so sweetly. Please keep telling us your lovely friend's stories.

    Big hugs from Texas.

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  15. I am so sad. I just got home from church and read your blog. I am heart broken and it is too late there for me to call you.

    I loved Angie..... and I will miss her terribly. Words fail me too.
    Love, Lura

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  16. Oh I'm so sorry Marie. My heart goes out to you as you face this sore loss, and to her family. You are all in my prayers.

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  17. Oh Marie, I am so shocked and saddened to hear of Angie's passing. I will miss her lovely 'pommie' humour and outlook on life (warts anorl!!)

    I know she was a dear friend to you so my heartfelt sympathy and condolences to you and Todd also, not to mention her dear Keith.

    So sad,

    Joolz

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  18. Marie - my thoughts and prayers are with you and Angie's family in this hard times. May God hold you in the palm of his hand and give you peace.

    Amy

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  19. Dear Marie,
    It is me again. I wish there was not 8 hours time difference between us. How I long to call you but can't since it is only 4 a.m. for you. I wonder though if you are sleeping. I imagine that Angie is heavy on your mind... I know that she is on mine. I feel so sad at the loss of such a sweet friend and I know that you feel worse than I do. I wish that I could comfort you and her dear Keith. My heart and love and prayers are with you.
    I posted my blog just before I read your post today. I asked blog friends to pray for Angie. I had no idea that she was that sick. I just can't believe she is gone now. I guess I should redo my blog but I am not up to it tonight. I'll do it tomorrow.
    I'm sending hugs to you and Todd.
    I am so sorry for the loss.

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  20. I've been away from blogging for a bit, so coming back to read this is just unbelievable. She was such a love with a wicked sense of humour....
    I'm just...shocked...

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  21. Oh Marie, this is so sad. I can really feel for you since our good friend, Jon just passed away in his sleep after Christmas. He was 51 a little younger like Angie. I think the shock takes it toll. I have had my ups and downs and you will too because she was so dear to you. I wish I could just give you an big hug and let you know how sorry I am for this loss of your good friend. I know the Holy Ghost will be a comfort to you and you work through it.

    Jim was reading Angie's blog today and found it very sweet and well written. Then he went to yours and said how much he appreciated the company I keep online.

    He said, "In all my days I cannot figure out how someone can make parsnips interesting enough for a blog post!" What talented ladies you all are!" I think you may have acquired a new reader...he is a real foodie, you know!

    Love you, Marie! Take good care of yourself. I am sad with you!

    Hugs, B

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  22. Such a beautiful tribute to a beautiful lady, you have done her justice. I can feel your pain at her loss and it will affect many who knew and loved her. May God bless you and give you strength.

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  23. 'Friends are the family we choose for ourselves'. Such truth in those words Marie.
    I am so sorry for the loss of such a wonderful friend to you!
    May God bless her, and her family and friends, during this sad time. I went to her blog to read some of her entries and I was so sorry not to have been able to get to know her properly. My loss and heaven's gain. She was a truly remarkable lady and writer!
    She still made light of her chest infection..bless her! May she rest in peace.
    Jeanie xx

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  24. I can't take it in. Our Angie...who just made me laugh a few days ago over Fonzie and Milwaukee, Idaho. Our Angie who loved life and all the ups and downs of it and who loved her family and her friends to the core of her. I will miss her. blessings, marlene

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  25. Condolences and hugs from all of us.

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  26. So sorry to hear of Angie's passing, Marie. I had no idea. It seems like only yesterday she had left us a comment on our Going Down Down Down blog, but in checking, I see it was more like two weeks ago. I don't know what to say, except that I will miss her too.

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  27. Marie - what an absolutely beautiful tribute. My heart is broken at the thought that dear Angie is gone and I won't get to read any more of her wonderful words. I haven't been around much online this week, and only learned the news this morning (I was worried, so sent Angie a text message and her sister 'phoned me back).

    I know that Angie is now safe and well in Heaven, but her sudden loss is still incredibly painful.

    Like you, I started my blog on AOLJournals (back in August 2006). Angie was one of the first to leave a comment and has been a true friend ever since. I can no longer count the number of times that a few words from Angie have meant so much in the way of encouragement and comfort, as well as lots of smiles.

    I put a brief (FAR inferior to yours, Marie) tribute on my blog today, on hearing the sad news, and will follow it up with a more considered one when I can collect my thoughts.

    Angie's funeral will be on Wednesday next week. Her sister mentioned to me that, in lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Angie can be made to The Brittle Bone Society (http://www.brittlebone.org/).

    Even if I live to be 150, I will never, EVER, forget the very special lady that was Angie Marshall.

    Ruth (Jasper's partner) xxxx

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