Prayers for Maggie...

Her bright smile and sweet personality are doubtlessly what draws people to Maggie. Ironically, her last name just happens to be Smillie, which suits perfectly. She came to the Giving Tree this summer to help in the gallery with her good friend Jessie, who we had the pleasure of working with for a few years. Maggie has Cystic Fibrosis; her strength and courage in battling it is both incredible and inspiring. The few months we spent with her, we quickly learned that Maggie has a gift; she can see the light even her darkest days spent inside hospital walls. She finds the humor in situations where most of us could never, and brings joy to those around her even when she is not feeling 100% herself. Although, at times, you can hear the frustration in her voice, she never complains about it. It occurred to me, as someone only a few years older, that a 19-year-old girl shouldn't be talking about these things. She should be talking about boys and girlfriends and clothes; or at least that's what I thought SHOULD be on all young girls’ minds (which now, in retrospect, seems so silly but normal I suppose). Fortunately, I have not had any first hand experience with such an illness, although I am thankful for my health, Maggie’s story and unyielding strength has stuck with me. Unfortunately, we did not get the chance to know her well as we had wished, but we do get frequent updates about her health from Jessie, Facebook and CarePages. Our thoughts and prayers are with Maggie and her family and wish for her to return home in good health and spirit.

-Kristen