Ann Michele.

My heart hurts today.

There are just some things in life that I will never understand.

One of my Alpha Phi sorority sisters past away this morning after an 8 year battle with cancer. She fought passionately and viciously to fight the disease and sadly...she lost the battle. It isn't fair. I am still coming to terms with certain things as I grow up... why do good people die? Why do people die so young?

There must be a reason for this.

Ann Michele King was one of the most vibrant people I had ever met. When we first met as freshmen in college at Oklahoma City University in August of 2005, I would have never known she was battling the dreaded "c-word." She had the most sunny and sparkly disposition, always smiling, and was so full of life. That girl had soul. AMK was the most Godly girl. She had been an angel on earth long before she became an angel in Heaven.

It wasn't until we all got together one night that fall, surrounded only with our pledge class and dim candlelight...that we heard her story for the first time. Our sweet Sweet Phi. She was smiling and truly LIVING with this disease.

Years later she continued to have that positive spirit, headlining Relay for Life. She always rocked out with her Princess gear all glittery and pink. She glittered as much on the inside as she did on the out, and I'm pretty sure that Heaven is also pink and glittery today.

As sad as we may be, I am still trying to find the purpose this will bring to to our lives. Maybe we all need a gentle reminder to live life to it's fullest every single day, as she did. I myself have kissed my babies a million times today, because we do not know when this journey will end. I have taken for-granted so many times how lucky I am to have myself and my loved ones in good health. This can all change in an instant. Be grateful for being able to just be. To breathe in and out. To wake up every morning. To live.

Ann Michele is now LIVING cancer-free, and that in itself is a blessing.

I am forever grateful for your sisterhood, friendship, integrity, and faith. Although I was only fortunate enough to know you for a few years, you have been an inspiration to me in so many ways. You have touched us all.

May the Lord watch between me and thee, while we are absent one from the other...



AOE
Kaytee