Laura

She was a child of light
Her name means praised one
Her smile was slow and soft
Her laugh began in giggles
Spread gradually to her face
Then her whole body
Her demeanor almost shy
She liked her distance
But once inside her circle
She was loyal and kind
Fierce in her devotion
Tall and limber
She loved the outdoors
Moved with athletic grace
Had a strong determination
Competitive without obsession
She biked, hiked and snowboarded
In the mountains of Vermont
Fearless and energetic

Intelligent and curious
She had a passion for insects
A love for animals and birds
Stopping on a hike
To examine a new bug
A species she had not seen before
Learning all she could about it
Reviewing carefully her guide to insects
Studious in her concentration

Artistic and creative
Quilting and arts and crafts
Were her constant companions
She taught art to children
Designed gardens and landscapes
Did graphics and logos
Threw herself into her work
With a persistent enthusiasm
For everything she did

Life was not easy for her
Her lack of guile
A certain innocence
Left her vulnerable to uncertainty
To being hurt
By those with minds
More attuned to worldly snares
On her dark days
She was difficult to handle
She had trouble finding
A consistent way
To express her talents
She was just learning that
Things were finally coming to her
When her life was taken away

She was a child of my heart
Next to my soul
Her death at thirty-one
Has left me with a loss
Not only of my second daughter
But the person that she was
What she was becoming
Her impact on the world
Those who knew and loved her
Left incomplete
But strong in the memory

Close to the bone
Sustenance is sweeter
Love is stronger
Life is eternal
Like her immortal soul
Which is in paradise
With the angels of her nature

© 2005 E. E. Winterbottom