Charlane Killough Griffith - RIP Sweet Soul

I am sitting here with a broken heart after hearing of the passing of my sweet friend Charlane. Charlane was not only loved by those who called her family & friend in "real life", but also by those in the online world of bloggers, FB & Flickr. Many hadn't met Char in person, but we knew her well - & she left her mark in may lives. Char had such a gift of weaving words into a beautiful story & added her photographs for a compelling view of life through her eyes. She loved life! She loved being an auntie, Nick Drake, ball jars & flowers... Char was such an inspiration in so many ways to so many people. She left a heartfelt legacy.

I was out of town when Char passed and then became busy with catching up & life - not checking in on FB or blogs. And just like that, she was gone. I had always wanted to buy one of her prints. So, today say "I love" you to those you love, -say it all day until the sun sets. Give hugs liberally. If someone has been an influence in your life or made a difference - make sure you tell them... & not just once. I read all the words/posts left on Char's FB page - so many sentiments of love - & realized we need to be saying those things & showing how we feel right now - today.... because we - or someone we love - might not have tomorrow.

Sorry for the rambling as I'm sitting here with tears. I have "known" Char for years & have enjoyed her friendship, support & inspiration. She will be missed.

I am including some of her photographs below in this post. And I found one of her last blog posts especially poignant.......

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in my other life....


i would live in a house shaped like a triangle on the beach...somewhere warm and happy. where children laugh and adults giggle and the air smells like warm cinnamon cookies baking in the oven. 

 and you would come over for simple lunches. and we would chat for hours while watching the sea and the waves dancing. the salt would make our hair wild and wooly and we would laugh belly laughs that made our sides ache.



then after sunset, we would go to the carnival and ride the merry-go-round until we were dizzy.  we would sup on wonderful foods and eat with our fingers - never spilling a drop or worrying about being messy.  carnivals are know for that kind of thing you know.
 
after the carnival we take a walk on the beach. there we could stare at the stars, wish on shooting stars and solve the world's problems. there would be peace and understanding - and somehow we would figure out how to feed the starving children and make mosquitoes turn into butterflies. because the world definitely needs more butterflies.



then, when we are tired, we would slip into cotton sheets and sleep sweet dreams of happy places and wonderful things.


the life of simple joys, no worries, and plenty of love is for me - the rest is gravy on my potatoes.
 
~charlane killough griffith
 
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And beautiful sweet soul - now you are there.
RIP Char. xxx
 
To see more of Char's photography, words and wonderful view on living & life, STOP BY HERE.