An extraordinary woman died today....Mona Ackerman

She was a FORCE....
A GIANT of a woman....
Willful....Determined....
She was filled with the fire of a LEADER...
Brilliant.......Funny....Stoic....
She gave EFFORTLESSLY....MAGNANIMOUSLY...
of herself....of everything she had....
She judged no one...
She understood deeply that Human Beings are flawed...
and that was quite OK with her...
She had tremendous compassion for human suffering...
A truly MODERN woman....
A THINKER....A DOER....

I remember the hours upon hours that we would sit and laugh together...
and cry together....
the lunches...
the spectacular evenings...
when she and I would sneak out the back and just hide for awhile....

There are things which she told me....
advise which she gave me..anecdotes which she shared with me....
profound words and lessons which she bestowed upon me...

I will cherish her memory always....
She was a FRIEND...
a MENTOR....
a ROLE MODEL...

May you rest in peace, Dear Mona....
The world was that much
    better for knowing you...
You will be forever in all of our hearts...