Rest in Peace Dawn x
This morning an inspirational person in my life passed away. Dawn Withers was a rockstar to me through late teenagehood. She was the first person in those years (who I listened to) who said that they were proud of me. Those incredible words were spoken while I was filled with tears and sadness and were the empowering foundation that I stood on for many years. Knowing that someone who I respected the heck out of was proud of me for me was the fuel in my tank. Not for grades or medals but for the way I lived my life. She was proud of me for the world I hoped for and the dreams I had. The huge love that Dawn had for every person who came across her path blew me away. She always seemed to have room in her arms for one more broken heart.
Dawn told me stories of world changers and the integrity needed to build good foundations for great change. She encouraged me to view the world through a lens of great compassion and deep humility.
An important lesson that Dawn taught me was that we are all are precious, broken, redeemable and valuable. And that we have a responsibility to use our lives to advocate for the people in our world who society tramples on. To live a life of great impact.
I don't know how a life could have been more full, more loving and more world changing.
My heart is heavy as I feel both sadness and relief that her time with cancer has come to an end.
All my love to her sister Merr and to the thousands of people who she worked with over her life in youth work.
