I lost my mentor and friend this past week. I’ve known for a while her time was limited. This was apparently her second bout with throat cancer. And, when the word ‘Hospice’ is mentioned… . Well, that is never good. Hospice is wonderful, but needing Hospice is not.
I grew up with her kids, swimming and diving our summers away at the local pool. Everyone in the neighborhood spent their summers at Lawn Aqua. It was wonderful. The years passed – college, marriage, kids. Then, my writing began. I’m not certain how my friendship with KPH started. I just remembered that she was an English teacher. Somehow I asked her to read through something I had written. She accepted.
Poof – we instantly connected.
She was encouraging, supportive, and, did I mention, SHE WAS AN ENGLISH TEACHER. Thank God for her red pen. That really hot chick from Revenge would be envious at what KPH could do with red pen. The ‘P’ in KPH was actually the word Penn. Though I never knew whether Penn was a middle or maiden name. Come to think about it, if I were a better writer less red pen would have been needed. Oh, well!
KPH edited everything I have ever written. Her eye was keen. I valued her critique. Since most of you have read something I’ve written, you all know the extent of my grammar and spelling skills. Remember it took me six months to realize the word ‘essence’ was misspelled then another six months to correct it. Need I say more? I have corrected some bad habits, though. Unfortunately, I still use way too many comas and definitely overuse the word though.
I could go on of course. But, I won’t. Instead I will end with a few lines from John Newton’s Amazing Grace. Forgive me for being cliché but the words just … fit.
Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.