Happiest and Saddest Days

One of the happiest days of my life was July 19, 1963, the day my first child was born. She and I both had a rough time during that breech birth, but it didn’t dampen my spirits at all, because I had waited a full 10 months for that day. Her dark blue color, when I first saw her scared me because I knew I had nearly lost her. She weighed 9 lbs 8oz and had the most beautiful long dark hair. I remember the day I brought her home from the hospital, one of the nurses helped me put her hair in a large curl on top, with a bow. Dressing her for the first time made me feel like a little girl with a new baby doll. She was so cute and such a good baby.

Now I’m left with a hole in my heart, that I can only try to fill with memories.

Rebecca Lynn Taylor
July 19, 1963 ~ February 19, 2010




When Becky, was first diagnosed with Stage Four Breast Cancer, I told her that the most important thing, was to focus only on a positive outlook. I knew she was strong and would fight it every step of the way, for as long as she needed to. She also believed that God would help her through it, because she had a feeling he had put this burden on her in order to help others in some way. I cried and told her that I wish it had been me instead of her, because she still had so much more life to live and children who depended on her. She laughingly told me that God gave it to her because she could handle it better than her two sisters or I. She was certainly right about me, I could never have dealt with the emotional strain or pain with such courage. Her will to live gave her an unstoppable determination to try anything her doctors advised.

She was truly afraid when she found out the cancer had metastasized in a rib and leg bone. But once again, her courage conquered that fear, just as it did when it next metastasized in her brain. Each time the cancer moved to another part of her body, she would say she made it through the last round and she would make it through this one.

After nearly eight years her body just didn’t have the strength to endure anymore. She still would not give up and her spirit carried her through for a while longer. She fought all the way to her last breath.

I have so many wonderful memories of my daughter, but the most remarkable ones during her time with cancer, were the ways she helped several others deal with fear of their own cancer, her sense of humor and the way she made it all so much easier for our family, by being so strong. Somehow she got us through it, when we all thought it should have been the other way around. She was a great inspiration to all of her friends and family.

I know when my time comes, I will see her standing there with a smile on her face, saying, “Come on Mom, I know if I made it through this, you can too.”

I am blessed with many wonderful friends and family members who have given memorials in Becky's honor. When we arrived back home, after the memorial service, friends gave us a beautiful pink Weeping Hibiscus tree. With it was a card with this written inside: Due to Becky's unflinching devotion to life, nothing but a living memorial would do.

The last couple of days, I've been making a bed of flowers that will grow around the tree and this will serve as Becky's Memorial Garden. Whenever I'm feeling down or need some propping up, I plan to look at this and remember her strength.