Phyllis and her (now deceased) husband Jim have hosted 12-step birthday parties once a month in the Seattle area since 1984 when it was on a houseboat in Lake Union. Tonight she had a birthday party at the assisted living facility she moved to in 2010.
Her daughter, one son and two granddaughters were there, along with at least 20 people that have spent considerable time with Phyllis in the last 30 years. It was amazing to see a person that old with so many active friends. There were 70+ people at her birthday party, a good many of them were less than half her age. We all had great respect for her, all that she has done to help others and to carry the message of recovery. She has helped many people in humble ways. Turns out that she helped the women-only treatment facility Residence XII ("Res 12") get started 30 years ago. More than a few of us did not know that. Res 12 has provided alcohol & drug abuse rehab to thousands of women on the Eastside in a way that co-ed facilities just can't match.
Ten people spoke of there experiences with Phyllis over the years. The sweetest one was her 25ish year old granddaughter talking about the impact her grandmother had in her life. Half the people in the room were crying in a good way as she shared her gratitude for having such a kind and loving grandmother.
It was great to see how much love there was in the room for Phyllis. While it was sad to think there is a good chance I will never talk with my mother again, it was nice to have other great role models that displayed love and kindness with grace to all.
I am grateful for the wonderful role models in my life. They teach me how to be humble, love and help others.
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