A mile in her shoes...

Coral shoes on top of a table with a framed photo next to a tall cylinder. These were the last moments her friends and family thought they had a chance to celebrate her life before the urn was buried in to the ground.

February 28th, 2013 the day she passed away. March 1st, 2014...the day she lived through others as they celebrated her life once again to help others.

   Meighan Johansen was from a small town in Iowa called Avoca. A special education teacher with a little man of her own in her life and according to her blog "one amazing husband". Petite frame, infectious smile and one of the most HOPE filled human beings many have ever known. July of 2011 was a month of milestones, marriage at the beginning of the month and cervical cancer diagnosis at the end of the month. So began a new walk in their life, and despite the odds, she stayed positive every step of the way.

She loved many things in life and often it was the small things that tugged her heart the most. A woman who made every moment matter and every person matter her friends noted as we chatted about her last saturday. One of the other "love's" in her life was shoes. Her friend shared with me a new pair of shoes would be purchased every time they shopped, without fail. Meighan also donated what she was no longer using...one in the door, one out the door. A group of close friends, some from college, some from work, banded together and wanted to celebrate her and bring HOPE to others like she had in their lives so often. The HOPE blood and shoe drive came to fruition.

The team that put together the 1st annual HOPE blood and shoe drive

Last Saturday dozens of people braved the bone chilling Nebraska winter weather to either donate blood or donate shoes in Meighans honor. I sat at the top of the bleachers and just observed the room as people either waited to donate blood, were snacking after donating, or just hanging out like family at a weekend gathering. All one thing in common: Meighan brought them HOPE and it was time to give to others what she so freely gave to them.

As people entered the door, they were greeted by Meighan's photos of her and her son along with an anchor that represents the anchor of HOPE she was to everyone. You will notice a lot of teal and that is the color for cervical cancer.

Above is a picture of nearly every shoe of the 500 that were donated and the signature anchor in the middle. Walking the rows of bleachers they were lined up on to organize them, I realized each of these shoes had a story. We all have a story to tell, but what will be your legacy? Meighan's was HOPE. As I tied laces together and banded shoes, her presence was in each pair. New, old, small, big, fancy, simple...isn't that us? The world around us? All different, all walks of life, but sometimes there is that person that somehow unifies everybody. Because she invited others to walk in a mile in her shoes...now people around the world will be able to walk a mile in the shoes that were donated....and hopefully many, many miles.

 One of Meighans close friends shared the blog that documented Meighans story of her "walk" with cancer. What was it like to walk a mile in her shoes? Take a few minutes and walk alongside her through her last months of life. As I scrolled through the posts, there were two that struck my attention more than the others:
- Sunday October 7th, 2012 "Real Problems"
- Sunday January 22nd, 2012 "I've Learned"

http://followmeighan.blogspot.com

My favorite quote from her blog:
..."anyone can give up; it’s the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone else would understand if you fell apart, that’s true strength."

A tremendous thank you to Meighan's loving friends who put their time and energy in to celebrating her and helping others...bringing HOPE.


Here is to a HOPE filled week, and future,
  Maggi :)
Your Mrs. Great Plains International 2014

My helper for the day, our sweet daughter Fiona. This little lady was born with a servants heart!