Excerpted from a letter to the Editor of the Holland Sentinel on January 19th, 2008, titled,
"Remember Lori DeKleine
as a brave and resilient woman"
as a brave and resilient woman"
"...In order to escape the guilt that must be shared corporately for ignoring the signs of abuse, we tend to blame and explain. However, "Did you know ... ?" or "I heard that ... ," only crucify the truth and intensify the pain. Malicious lies were spread for a long time before Lori's death, and perpetuating the existence of such lies is not only destructive and unjust, but it dishonors Lori, her family, friends and this community.
It is time to put the focus where it belongs.
On Jan. 8, two nights before she died, Lori shared her hopes for the future. At the monthly meeting of the FOCUS+ adult ADHD advocacy group, of which she was a member and leader, Lori shared her deep faith and confidently challenged the group to see obstacles as opportunities. Her resiliency and relentless tenacity for finding solutions to problems, encouraged the listeners who were there that night. Diverting attention from herself, she asked us to consider, "What's on your plate? What are you carrying?" She then handed each group a paper plate to pass so each person could share the obstacle she wanted to turn into opportunity for growth in 2008. Lori's contagious optimism, profound and expressive writing, quick wit and sparkling smile were gifts to those who knew and loved her and will carry us through dark nights ahead..."