At 7:15 pm with her Mom and Dad and my wife and I by her bedside, Ashley went to God. Before she left I whispered in her ear that she was going to heaven to be with God, and I wanted her to be an Angel that touches the life of all the people that are going through what she has gone through. In over a year of treatment she never once complained about all of the miserable things she had to endure. I wish you could have known this sweet child. She didn't drink, smoke, or party. She wasn't pierced or tattooed. She was just a normal very sweet and polite little girl of 21 who loved life. She loved the internet and chatting with her friends in her favorite chat rooms. She went to school, she was an altar girl at Guardian Angel Cathedral in Las Vegas were she served Mass every Sunday. She graduated from St. Anne Catholic Grade School, and Bishop Gorman Catholic High School with honors. She was in the National Honor Society. She had attended the University of Nevada Las Vegas where she was studying design and architecture. The most important things in her life were her family and her cat Samantha that my wife and I gave her when she was still a little girl. She was kind and good natured with a big heart. In 21 years I never heard an unkind word spoken by her. If anyone deserves the glory of the Kingdom of God it was my Godchild. Thank you all so much, you are all earthly angels to share so freely your love with a stranger. But are we really strangers? We may not all know each other but the fact is we are all one big family in God. It's at times like this that I have to wonder. If this is so hard for people like my family to accept and try to understand when we have a deep abiding faith in God, where do people turn to in time of pain when they do not believe? While Ashley was my sister and my brother-in-law's only child, my wife and I returned home late last night and squeezed our three children so hard we almost broke their ribs. Years ago I wrote a daily meditation titled, "The Best Day of My Life." In 1996 the people who publish the Chicken Soup for the Soul books requested permission to publish this work in one of their books. I granted them permission. I was somewhat surprised when the Best Day of My Life was published in a book called, "Chicken Soup for the Surviving Soul; a collection of stories for people who are fighting and have survived cancer." I was somewhat puzzled as to how "The Best Day of My Life" came to be included in this particular publication. Almost all of the authors published in this book were cancer survivors and I was not. I came to learn that the mother of two sisters who was working on the book had been diagnosed with breast cancer. My piece had come across their desk and they actually fought to have it included in "their" book. One of the sisters told me later that "The Best Day of My Life" so eloquently described how precious life is, and how much we should cherish every day, that she had to have it for the book she was putting together. I was humbled to say the least. Gregory M. "DOC" Lousignont, Ph.D. Ashley's Godfather
Today, when I awoke, I suddenly realized that this is the best day of my life, ever! There were times when I wondered if I would make it to today; but I did!
And because I did I'm going to celebrate! Today.
I'm going to celebrate what an unbelievable life I have had so far:
the accomplishments, the many blessings, and, yes, even the hardships
because they have served to make me stronger.
I will go through this day with my head held high,
and a happy heart. I will marvel at God's seemingly simple gifts:
the morning dew, the sun, the clouds, the trees, the flowers, the birds.
Today, none of these miraculous creations will escape my notice.
Today, I will share my excitement for life with other people.
I'll make someone smile. I'll go out of my way to perform
an unexpected act of kindness for someone I don't even know.
Today, I'll give a sincere compliment to someone who seems down.
I'll tell a child how special he is, and I'll tell someone I love...
just how deeply I care for her and how much she means to me.
Today is the day I quit worrying about what I don't have
and start being grateful for all the wonderful things God has already given me.
I'll remember that to worry is just a waste of time because my faith in God
and his Divine Plan ensures everything will be just fine.
And tonight, before I go to bed,
I'll go outside and raise my eyes to the heavens.
I will stand in awe at the beauty of the stars and the moon,
and I will praise God for these magnificent treasures.
As the day ends and I lay my head down on my pillow,
I will thank the Almighty for the best day of my life.
And I will sleep the sleep of a contented child,
excited with expectation because I know tomorrow
is going to be the best day of my life, ever!