I met Debbie Runions at a writing class. She was the instructor, with a round, smiling face and a calm demeanor that belied the energy bubbling underneath. The class was “Writing for Magazines”, but it morphed into 1/3 magazine writing, 1/3 therapy, and 1/3 spiritual journey. That was Deb. She didn’t compartmentalize her life. She was at once a writer, mother, widow, seeker, believer, and teacher.
Debbie immediately honed in on my specific abilities and brought out the best in me. She helped me improve my writing – not just technically – but also emotionally as she pushed me to write about deep experiences and feelings. Even after completing several of her courses, I remained in contact with my friend through a writers’ group.
It was one evening at a meeting of this group that I noticed something was wrong with Debbie. She said, “I’ll share it with you soon.” A couple of weeks later, she faxed me (yes, this was several years ago) an article she’d written. She called asking me to read it before she submitted it for publication. I read it, tears streaming down my face, and couldn’t choke out the words to talk to her about it just then.
Deb was HIV-positive. Her article, entitled “Healing Aids”, was so typical of her. Her words of hope still resonate today “I choose to view my HIV as a gift to help me live life abundantly in the heart of love.” She continued her new path by writing a fairy tale “Sabrina’s Gifts” and by serving on then President Bill Clinton’s HIV/AIDS Advisory Council. Rather than letting her disease cripple her spirit, she let it give her wings to touch others and facilitate change. Her body eventually gave out under the weight of the disease, but her soul remained strong through it all.
In her own gentle way, Debbie made a significant difference in my life. Her mentoring helped me find my writer’s voice, a priceless gift. Her faith – though different from mine – challenged me to view the spiritual with different eyes. And her incredible spirit remains today, teaching, always teaching me to drink deeply of the blessings of this life.