I realized last night that today is the 6 month mark.

6 months ago, Madeline Spohr left this world.

6 months ago, my now real life friends Heather and Mike had their world torn apart.

6 months ago their lives changed forever.

6 months ago, a lot of our lives changed.

I was not blessed to know Maddie. I watched her grow on Heather’s blog. I watched her bright smile and gorgeous eyes become more a part of this world. I watched her overcome hurdles that seemed so giant before such a small girl.

Now, I flip through Heather’s flickr stream, just to see her again. I never knew this child, but few days go by where I don’t think about her. She made a difference in my life without ever entering it.

In her short 17 months on this earth, Maddie touched more lives than I can even conceive of. And today, 6 months after she passed away, I know that our lives are all intertwined. Because of Maddie.

Because of Maddie, I hold my family closer because I realize how precious and fleeting life is.

Because of Maddie, I treasure every moment I can.

Because of Maddie, I donate everything I can to help families in the NICU.

Because of Maddie, I try to smile when I hurt. Because even in the photos where she looks the most miserable, she still managed a smiles.

Because of Maddie, I want to be brave.

Because of Maddie, I want to work with children, like her, who fight the odds. I want to help them fight.

It has been 6 months since Maddie’s smile lit up this earth and her laughter filled our ears. It has been 6 months since the world was robbed of something so precious, that now it seems to be missing from all of us. That the world seems dimmer and quieter for her absence.

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