Janet

The house where Janet lived.

It was a fun time living at the edge of town as a child.  Surrounded by endless fields and space seemed like a welcoming invitation for plenty of imaginative and dirty play.  The houses in the area were built almost at the same time, and the neighborhood children were close to my age and my sibling's ages.  It wasn't unusual for the children on the street to join in at one of the neighbor's homes for a game or activity going on in their front yard.  One particular neighbor who lived close by always seemed to have something fun going on.

Janet lived across the street in the corner, and although I was really young, I remember her holding neighborhood parties at her house all the time.  I don't remember anything in particular, but I do seem to remember her holding a party to go caroling on a hayride, and then having hot chocolate after.  She also held a neighborhood preschool which my sister attended.  She made a recording of it one day and gave it to my sister, and it sounded like a lot of fun.  Not too long after that, her activities became fewer and eventually stopped.  I remember one of the first times the activities stopped, and I was entirely disappointed.  I didn't understand why at the time, but I realize now that much of it had to do with her being diagnosed with MS.

Ah, MS, the crippling disease that at that time didn't have a lot of treatment.  As I grew older and watched as it progressed how disabling it really was, yet amazingly she still remained her same sweet self.  She was always kind to me when I would stop by, mostly likely on an errand from my mom.  She was humble and spoke quietly, and always appreciated it when someone stopped by.  One of the most amazing things I witnessed in her was the efforts she made in being involved with church.  The members are entirely involved in the meetings, providing music and messages, and I recall at least one time--it may have been more--when Janet went up to the podium to speak.  She was wheelchair bound for years at this time, but she somehow found the strength to get up and stand at the podium to deliver her message.  She literally used all the energy she could to do that, and there were times when she had some ladies she needed to visit with, but instead of going to their homes as it was customary to do, she had them all come to her.  It seemed she always figured out how to get things to work.

She passed away after about twenty years of living with MS.  She dealt with many health problems, family problems, and other things that I can't think of at the moment, but through it all, I'm amazed at the example she has left behind for those of us who knew her.  Her ability to endure through so many years is truly amazing.

That little neighborhood on the edge of town is no longer the edge, and the town is a growing city.  The fields are gone and the space is gone.  Her house still stands, occupied by a family that has no memory or knowledge of its original owner.  Few of the neighborhood families remain, but despite it all, the influence lingers.