This blog was formerly dedicated in 2009 to my Dad who died of Alzheimer's in 2013. It's been three years now...and I find myself missing blogging...so I am re-inventing my blog... because, after all, life is about moving through, and going forward...

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Sudden Tragedy...Loss Of A Friend...

As some of you may know, Penny Westwood at Penny's Word (which has been deleted) was in a car accident, August 17, 2010. She lived in a small town of New South Wales. She was driving and swerved to avoid a speeding car driving too fast, around a curve and on the wrong side of the road. Her car left the road and slammed into a tree. She was severely injured. The doctors put her into an induced coma. She became conscious, and then had a relapse. Tragically, she died August 26, 2010 in the hospital of a cerebral hemorrhage. Her funeral some time today, in the afternoon. She was only 59 years of age...


Several days ago, I had gone to her blog to check for updates and discovered it had been deleted. It gave me a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach, but I hoped either her husband Doug, or one of her three teens, may have done it by accident...

I had emailed her Gmail account asking how she was. Today, I received an email from her husband Doug, who shared about her death. When I replied, that email had been deleted as well. I cannot imagine the grief and loss they have to be feeling now...

I read her blog last March. I had read one of her poems and was so touched, I asked if I might have her permission to post it. She graciously allowed me to. At the end of my post today, I will re post her poem.

I had been corresponding with her only five months, but in that short span of time, through her writing and photographs, I felt she was a kind, gentle, loving woman who loved her family, her little town, animals and nature. She was a regular visitor with her comments. I will miss her.

Here is her poem:

Just sayin’.


When in doubt, leap. One needs a little courage to live.
Miracles happen so often they become commonplace.

It’s easier to draw a straight line than to straighten a crooked one.
How come it’s always the narrow path that considers itself superior?


If you paint a black picture, the picture will be black.
Boredom is the price one pays for not enjoying everything.

Getting lost is part of getting there.
There’s something braver than dying for the truth – living without it.


Lessons are learned, not taught.
When your burden gets too heavy, you learn how to carry it.


The little girl riding her bicycle. Never once did she wonder: “Is this worthwhile?”
The sea will wash away our footprints but not the fact we made them.


Experiences for which there are no words get along fine without them.
Reasons are invented, not found.


No river could flow if it had to know its destination first.

~Penny Westlake~

Rest in peace, dear friend...

11 comments:

Mari said...

I'm so sorry. I didn't know Penny but she sounds like a wonderful person. I like her poem too.
I've thought about this with blogs, when the author suddenly stops blogging. I'm glad you at least got an answer.

Jeanie said...

How very sad, Donna. It sounds like she was a wonderful person. I know her family is feeling her loss horribly. I wish comfort for them.

Wander to the Wayside said...

It's a shame they deleted her blog, as I'm sure she constructed it with care, and it would have been a nice legacy to her memory. I hope they don't regret it someday, as it is lost to them as well.

Sultan said...

What a sorrowful thing.

Natasha said...

I am sorry for your loss, Donna.
And I can't start to imagine what the family is going through. I do wish they had kept the blog open though, so people had a place to grieve in - it would have helped them too to know how much your friend was loved by people who's lifes she touched without ever meeting them

Donna Volkenannt said...

Hi Donna,
How sad you've lost a friend. I believe people come into our lives at times when we need them most or they need us. Sounds like that's what happened with you and Penny.
Thanks for sharing her poem. The line about footprints in the sand struck a chord with me.
Donna V.
http://donnasbookpub.blogspot.com

Donna Volkenannt said...

Hi Donna,
How sad you've lost a friend. I believe people come into our lives at times when we need them most or they need us. Sounds like that's what happened with you and Penny.
Thanks for sharing her poem. The line about footprints in the sand struck a chord with me.
Donna V.
http://donnasbookpub.blogspot.com

Marguerite said...

So sorry for the loss of your friend, Donna. The poem is beautiful and it sounds like she was a lovely person, as well. Hugs, Marguerite

Melanie said...

So sorry to hear about that, Donna. We never know what direction our lives are going to take.

Jerry said...

I only knew Penny through her blog and her comments to me. I always enjoyed her because she was....what's the word...'refreshing'. I always looked forward to her little essays and to her comments. It's silly -- but when I saw a comment from her, I felt like I did well.

I really, really miss her. Even now I am struck by the enormity of it all. I am horrified at her death, and at the pain her family is trying to cope with.

But she left words behind...and you kept them. Thank you.

Pat said...

I'm so sorry to hear about Penny. I didn't know her, but she sounded like a wonderful person. We can certainly get close to people through the blogging world and emails/internet.