Found this in my email today. It is from a friend, written shortly after isatou's memorial last summer. very touching.
Dear Babou and Zanna,
What a tremendous blessing your family is. Here in the midst of your loss, your ability to touch others, show love and express faithfulness is nothing short of amazing.
I have been deeply touched by you both this week. The love you have in your hearts is so wonderful. I am touched by seeing you together. I am touched by seeing the closeness you have with your sister, Zanna. I am touched by having the opportunity to meet many of your friends and witness them coming together for you and experience the goodness in their hearts. I am touched by watching Omar play and seeing him sit on Babou’s lap. I am touched by your words, Babou, and my heart lifted a bit when I heard you speak of Isatou coming to you in your dreams every morning. What a sweet angel she is.
I was going to take pictures today for you to have later. Typically, I am a very visual person – which is why I burst into tears as I looked at the framed photos of Isa in the art area. As I told Babou though, I stopped and could not do it. In part, it just didn’t feel right and in part because today did not feel visual. What I was taken by was the feeling of love and loss and transformation, the feeling of the air around us and ground beneath our feet, and the sound of the river and the wind in the trees. That was a large part of what today was for me in honoring Isatou – that which cannot be captured on a camera to give to you, but I know in my heart . . . . you already have in your heart and being.
I am touched by your connection and respect for the outdoors, mother Earth and our world as a whole. I am touched by your ability to share that in such an easy way as it is just a part of you. I am touched by your ability to continue walking with forward momentum when it would be so easy to crumble into a ball.
I am saddened we were never able to meet and play with Isatou. I just love that sweet, spunky little girl without ever even having met her.
There is so much more I could say to you, but the long and short is I thank you. I thank you for sharing who you are in such a beautiful way. I thank you for allowing us to be near you today. I thank you for loving your children and your family the way you do.
My prayer is to be able to make a difference for you. My promise is to continue to stand next to you and to believe in you.
I am so sorry for your loss.
In loving honor to your sweet baby girl,
Erin Fairbairn
(Andy, Colton and Jacqueline too)
