For right now, for this moment, this day, this week. For whatever period of time you feel necessary, I ask of you to think of Taylor.
When you are facing your daily struggles or things are not working in your favor I ask of you to take a moment to think of Taylor.
Taylor Renee Helland, a sophomore student at TCU, fought a five year battle with cancer before passing away this past weekend. However, neither her struggles, her situation, nor her battle defined her. She did not allow it to. When things were difficult, when she could have just as easily become frustrated or angry with everyone, everything, even with God she rather chose joy.
Taylor’s friends described her saying that she embodied that idea more than anything. Taylor poured into others constantly despite her physical state or despite how she was coping with her fight. Taylor was described to have a servants heart, constantly pouring into her relationships with others including the other families on her floor of Cook Children’s Medical Center as well as her friends back at TCU. Taylor was blessed to be surrounded by the support of her sorority sisters of Chi Omega throughout her battle with cancer, especially this weekend as they joined other TCU students to represent Taylor at the TCU dance marathon to raise money for Cook Children’s.
However now we are faced with the opportunity to honor Taylor in a new way. We can honor her by choosing joy, by choosing gratitude. Whenever you are faced with obstacles or everyday challenges remember Taylor. Remember her strength and ability to celebrate life instead of feel burdened by it. I ask you to remember to have gratitude for all of the blessings we have that override our sorrows, whatever they may be. And choose joy. Choose joy for Taylor, and choose joy for yourself. Make the active decision to have gratitude in honor of a strong woman who set an exemplary example.