A friend of mine has a loved one in heaven.

In her quiet moments, she found a tender way to keep her memory alive. She took her loved one’s name and, letter by letter, wrote words that spoke to her heart.

Let’s imagine her loved one’s name was Amy.

For the A, she wrote Affable — a reminder of warmth and kindness.

For the M, she wrote Mindful — a reflection of thoughtfulness and grace.

For the Y, she wrote Yearning — the deep longing that love leaves behind.

Each word became more than a description; it became a way of living — an echo of Amy’s spirit.

When I asked my friend what inspired her to do it, she said softly,  “I wanted to honor my friend… and live my life the way she did — with faith and purpose.”

I smiled and told her,

“Well, you are. You are “Amy-ing” very well.”

In her kindness, her mindfulness, her yearning to live with meaning,  my friend is already carrying "Amy's" legacy forward.

And it made me think…

What about us?

Whose name could we take and turn into words of inspiration, reminders of faith, or quiet affirmations of love?

Whose life are we honoring by the way we choose to live?

My friend’s loved one’s real name is Whitney, and she is “Whitney-ing!”!!

BW