April 27th was the two year anniversary of the death of one the most amazing women I’ve had the honor of knowing. Terri was a vivacious, outgoing woman who died in a tragic motorcycle accident. She had been one of my best friends. She was also a single mom.
About Terri
Terri was the kind of woman who walked into a room and everyone, men and women alike, fell in love with her. There was never a shortage of men who wanted her attention. I quickly learned that while she enjoyed dating just as much as the next girl, there were other things, other people, that held priority.
Family First
Terri’s son was in high school when we met. He was very involved in sports. Every Friday night in the Fall she dedicated to football games, and Winter was basketball. A social life, especially men, waited until after she was done with her son. Often she would take him out to dinner, go shopping, or anything to encourage quality time with her son. She taught me that no matter how old your child gets, they always need that quality time with their moms.
Boys on the Side
Adventure was Terri’s middle name. There was always a concert, or a weekend away or a camping trip in the works. The first summer I knew Terri, our summer was so full that we had to create a binder with our calendar and all of the relevant information to keep our social lives straight! No man who was in the picture would change our plans. Men were the icing on the cake. Nice to have, but not necessary. We were self-sufficient women who could do everything on our own, and we looked great doing it!
Open Your Home and Your Heart
Terri’s home was always open to friends, and her heart was open to everyone. Terri filled her home with the people she loved on a regular basis. As soon as someone walked through the front door, they had a drink in their hand and a plate of food in front of them. Terri made everyone feel special, and when you were with her, you were the center of her universe. People need that. They need your full attention, to know that you are listening to them, and you genuinely care about them.
Live Big
There was little Terri would say no to. Her favorite saying was, “I will sleep when I’m dead.” She certainly got the most out of life. Learning to make every moment count, and making others feel important are two very important lessons I learned from Terri, but certainly not the only ones. I wish everyone could have known her, but since that was impossible, I will work everyday to pass on the messages that Terri taught me.
About Brooke Billings
Brooke Billings is a single mom of an awesome 9 year old boy navigating the worlds of parenthood, dating and writing. Brooke is the editor of Single Parent magazine, and co-founder of ModernSingleParents.net, a revolutionary new social network for single parents. Brooke is also a featured expert writer on multiple single parent websites. As a child raised mostly by a single parent, Brooke is passionate about supporting single parents and helping single parents realize their potential. Brooke has been co-parenting her 9 year old son with his father since 2002, and is happy to be in a place where the relationships are enjoyable for everyone involved. Brooke and her son enjoy the blessings of living in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, as well as urban adventures and entertaining friends and family.
You can contact Brooke at: bbillings@singleparentmedia.com, and follower her on twitter @brookeb4
