When the mind thinks of words in times of loss, those words can't truly say what the heart feels. I would like to try to put some of those words here: I remember meeting Barbara for the first time at the Kingdom Hall in Oak Ridge, Tennessee USA. I believe it was the year 2000. The thing that sticks out the most in my memories of Barbara are her smile and welcoming spirit. The introductory moment though, as a young person, was the fact that she liked cars! Cars was the introduction to our friendship, but my memories are of her smile and welcoming personality! Part of me says she was very much like a mom to me. She was family, always approachable, welcoming. Even if it was just for the several years we were in the same congregation, that feeling of family is still there. But I say "part" because having known her in my early adult years, she didn't have to watch out for me like a mom would have to. So, I think she would be ok with me saying she was more like a cool aunt or older sister to me, although not seeing or being in contact for months or years, that feeling of family was always there with Barbara! Barbara introduced me to her son Nathan whose friendship developed into near kinship over the last 20 years! That friendship, developing before the popularity of social media, has allowed me to stay in touch with Barbara this past many years. There are many memories I have of Barbara, but if Nathan and Alex will allow me, one stands out that I would like to share. I still remember being a young and hair-brained kid (yes, I did have some hair at some point), I mistakenly killed all of her English Ivy while taking care of her lawn (and by all I mean about 75 feet of it in the front of her house)!!! I still feel terrible about it! But she never held it against me, even though I deserved to be thrown off the back porch several times for it (and actually worse frankly)! I can't wait to find her in the new system with a sprig of English Ivy that we can plant together! Knowing her faith in the resurrection hope... as the beginning of this post said, words in the mind can not say what the heart feels. That will be the joy of seeing her again soon!