We lost a family member recently. Laurie Black, the much loved wife of our partner, Brian Black, died on May 5 following an exemplary and courageous 4 1/2 year battle with ovarian cancer. She was 54 years old.

Laurie was only “officially” a member of the North Group family for 16 months. (Brian joined us in January, 2014). Her influence on each of us is surely outsized to the 16 month time span.

As we prayed, cried and laughed our way through her memorial service, we were again reminded that there are people that cross our paths in life that teach us more than we could ever learn in a classroom or under the guidance of a consultant.

Laurie Black taught us that positivity beats negativity any day. She taught us that gratefulness is a compelling lifestyle, even in the face of great challenge. Laurie taught us that courage trumps fear. And, that the spiritual trumps the physical.

Laurie Black showed us that the quality of your relationships is how the quality of your life should be measured. She taught us that laughter beats anger. That giving beats taking. That love beats hate. Laurie showed us what it means to believe in a sovereign God. And, she taught us that the Eagles should always beat the Cowboys!

We all have our own ways of pursuing the concept of “a life well lived.” We know what the lessons are, but we violate those lessons all too often. At least, I know I do. I get too “busy,” too “task oriented,” too “me focused”. Would I behave differently if I knew what the number of my days was going to be? I suppose so. But why wait? Laurie didn’t. She started living this way long before the diagnosis.

Thank you Laurie. Thank you for the much needed example of a life well lived.

We love you.