An Angel Named Jo In January 2006 the most amazing lady walked into my life when I sent her a simple online request to ask if I might use an article she had written about single moms for a page I was doing about an abused child, Nixzmary Brown. The next day, I received permission from her to use the article on my site. When I finished the page, I sent her the link with my thanks for her permission and thought that would be it. However, one thing led to another and she has become a wonderful friend even though several people have told me that someone you meet online can't be your friend because you have not seen them. I know this lady through her heart and soul which shine in her writing and that is all I need to know. As the emails continued, we found that we had a lot of things in common since she is also a Southern Belle. We both love our music, Southern foods, computers, kids, kittens, dogs, etc. We both have similiar thoughts about what to do with school yard bullies, child molesters, abusers and parents that don't bother to teach their kids self respect, respect for others, honesty, compassion, manners and all the other good values with which we grew up. She also has a wonderful sense of humor, though a bit stubborn at times. :-) Last night, I told her she did not have to reply to all the emails from me, just skip over the Fw: or pass along emails, and that she need not reply to this one. I got a reply telling me why she had to reply to this one. I sent a short one back, calling her Ms. Sass and pulling the "I'm older than you" excuse for her to do as I say and closed with a "No Reply Necessary". A few minutes later I got one back with "Okay, I won't send one - :-p". For many years now, this lady has been totally independent, not asking anyone for anything and not expecting anything from anybody. She has raked her leaves in the fall, mowed her grass in the summer, prepared her own meals, cleaned and even painted her own home, and done her own laundry even with her health problems and without too much complaining. :-) In addition to all of this, she runs a blog devoted to making others more aware of missing, abused or killed children and other injustices in the world and does a great job with it. So great, in fact, that Sass has gotten the attention of the Washington Post and been mentioned in their paper. She has even had a hospital to contact her to offer their services totally free to treat a badly abused child about whom she has written! She has been an angel for so many children and even some adults that it would be hard to say just how many hearts she has touched even in just her few years online. This very special lady is one of the most caring, compassionate and thoughtful people I have met. She never misses a birthday, mom's day, Christmas, etc. She always asks about others in the family and like my late friend Norma, she never forgets her "I love you". She is one of those people that once you know her, she leaves golden footprints on your heart. Her emails and phone calls can brighten the gloomiest of days! She is so devoted to her family, her kids and her kidlets. She is so very proud of her family members who have served in the military since the Revolutionary War and especially those who are now in Iraq. Right now, this lady is in a battle of her own with cancer. I am one of those people who find it hard to understand why things like this happen to good people like her but then I think about the statement that I have heard so many times - God never gives us more than we can handle and I feel sure that with all the prayers going out for her that her desire to be able to say "I am a survivor!" will come true! I love you. Merlie Marilyn's Hideaway ~ Cancer Site ~ Children ~ Computers Critters ~ Domestic Violence ~ Good Old Days ~ Holidays Humor ~ Inspirationals ~ Katrina ~ Miscellaneous Patriotic ~ Poetry ~ Women ~ Norma Marek's Poetry Background Sets ©MagnoliaD, 2003-2005 Made with love October 30, 2008.