Sometimes, those who leave early have given all they were meant to give us in the time they were here. It feels unbearable, but perhaps their journey was complete, even if ours is not. Their legacy—the love, the memories, the lessons they shared—continues to shape our lives.
In their leaving, they teach us a painful truth: life is precious, fragile, and fleeting. Their early departure doesn’t diminish the love they left behind; it amplifies it. Their impact and influence stay with us long after they’re gone. Though it feels like they were taken too soon, their presence in our lives was no less meaningful because of it.
Life is not measured by time, but by impact. Those who leave us early often live with such intensity and brightness that their presence fills the space of many lifetimes. It isn’t about how long they were here, but how deeply they touched the lives of those around them.
It’s one of the hardest truths to accept—that those we hold closest sometimes leave this world sooner than we think they should. It feels unfair, even cruel, but I’ve come to understand that their legacy is measured not in years, but in the profound marks they leave on our hearts and souls.
Joanne Millen MacKenzie  2016 – 2024Â