She was joy embodied

Every time Easter rolls around I am reminded of her...thank you, readers, for indulging my need to honor her soul.

Among countless shared moments, with and without our children, Mileah's "Easter Egg Run" some years ago is forever etched in my mind. While virtually every event she hosted was superb from the flowers and lighting to the music and fare, what made her gatherings memorable was that they were drenched in joy, a seemingly perennial mood in her home. Not only kind and loving, Mileah was impervious to incidents that might send you and me into a tailspin. Red wine on a white settee? Not a problem. An heirloom glass meeting its fate on the living room floor? Painless. She weaved her way through those situations with so much grace that one was left wondering if she welcomed them as badges of honor. Mileah was, in fact, a host to the world enriching the experiences of people from all walks of life with her charm and lovely demeanor.

Although she departed our world many moons ago, her spirit is still very much alive. Our girls still adore each other and despite several hundred miles between them, they are still the best of friends.

I am grateful to have a platform through which to share her memory and honored that Mileah’s family chose to feature the words I wrote for her celebration of life in her obituary…

Not only beautiful, Mileah, the girliest girl I ever knew, was smart as a whip and wise beyond her years, experiencing in three decades what most would only dream of in nine. Embracing the world for all it had to offer, she treated everyone she met with kindness and respect, deeply affecting them with her intoxicating zeal for life and memorable smile…her indisputable charm eluding no one...

Thank you, friends, for allowing me the space, and thank you, Mileah, for enriching my life. You are forever in our hearts…but you already know that, right?