Let Me Tell You About A Woman Named "Q"

There is this woman that you all should know about. She would probably not approve of me writing this post and I know for sure that she would not want a picture of her attached to it. But..you need to hear her story…you need to know about her. Why? Because knowing about her will make you want to strive to be a better person.

For this post, let’s refer to her as “Q”. Q and I became friends back when she was a nanny for two kids from a super sweet family. We met at a local kids gym in one of the toddler classes. Immediately, we clicked. For three years, we would get together, mostly with the kids, for playdates. Over those three years, Q and I became the best of friends. We remain the best friends till this day, but Q is not here any more. Where is she? She is Thailand, working for the Peace Corps.

Q had always had some level of interest in the Peace Corps, but it was not until a major, unexpected and disheartening setback occurred that she ultimately decided to act on her interest. Q had been in a long-term relationship which suddenly dissolved. But, when this occurred, Q decided that there was no better time than now, with nothing and no one holding her back, to attempt to realize a dream of hers–to travel abroad and help people.

Helping people is something that Q is amazing at. She is one of the most amazing people  that I have ever known and I know quite a few people that would say the same about her. What makes Q so special, you ask? I will tell you.

Q is absolutely selfless. She is always kind and always willing to lend a helping hand. She is always an active listener and a thoughtful responder. She is giving of herself, her money and her time. She is honest and genuine and makes friends every where she goes. She is confident in herself and her abilities. She is so strong of mind and character, it is amazing. She also worked as a therapist and was going to school in addition to her job as a nanny. She is truly such a beautiful person, inside and out, and the people here in Tampa, her family in New York and those that get to be with her now in Thailand, are extremely lucky to know her.

Knowing Q makes me want to be a better person. Because of Q, I strive to be more present with my children, as she was always for the children of the family she nannied for. I strive to be a more active listener when my kids are speaking, as I never saw her not look one of those kids in the eye and listen with her whole heart when they were talking. I want to be a more fun mom because of how I silly I would see her be with those children. I want to be a kinder human being because of the kindness I would see her show to any human being. I want to be better at life because of Q.

Today, more than ever, the world could use more people like Q. So, maybe, if we all strive to be like Q, we can make the world a better place. But, for now, she is elsewhere, so that she can make the world a better place.

Love you Q!