" I realize that, here on earth, not everyone was meant to stay in our lives for extended lengths of time. I have to remind myself of that because basically I want everyone I care for to always be a part of my string of pearls. Some folks just breeze through; others settle in for a season and then move on; a few hunker down for the long haul. Those who settle in for a lifetime do so not necessarily because they are braver, more loving, or ever more loyal, but because they were meant to. It was part of the plan. So those who have left us must also be considered part of the ultimate plan. "

― Patsy Clairmont , I Grew Up Little: Finding Hope in a Big God