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winningthewar · 3 years

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Losing the Battle, Winning the War

Written by Anna Morgan Haynes

12/08/2021

“Chemo felt like ice when it entered my body, and it treated me just as coldly. I was sick but the chemo just made me feel even sicker.” Joyce Johnson, an aunt to me but a mother for many, battled cancer for a little over a year. She fought as hard as she could, but on August 24th, 2021, she lost her battle and passed away. Though the cancer was strong, she was always stronger. Her legacy is unforgettable and will live for the rest of time. She may have lost the battle, but she won the war.

The day of her funeral, her family walked out of First Baptist Church of White Plains in Alabama with heavy hearts as they laid one of their favorite humans to rest. Over 100 people attended her funeral that day, and there wasn’t a single heart that was whole. Walking out of the church, tears immediately filled the eyes of those who loved her, as they looked up and a rainbow filled the sky. It was then, that her family looked around, and realized that she won the war. They were surrounded by her legacy, which was full of love, of joy, of laughter, and of hope.

After Joyce passed, I had the pleasure of interviewing Joyce’s younger brother, Randy. As much as he was heartbroken, he said he was honored to have the chance to be called her brother. He stated, “she set the standard of being human for everyone to hold closely to them. She was kind, and she had more friends than anyone I know because of that.” And Randy was right. Her funeral proved that she had friends from all over the place, she was loved because she taught people what love truly was. How it was patient, unconditional, and how it extended grace always. Because of how she loved others, a model of love is being lived by people far outside of her blood family. Her family was defined by much more than just blood.

Life is a war that consists of many battles, every single day. Some battles are larger than others, while some are very small but feel like they are completely and utterly consuming. Even though this battle was more than Mrs. Joyce could handle, she won the war of life when she created a legacy that will never die. While her name may be forgotten, the love that she displayed will grow through generations, touching the lives of many. Though cancer was the battle that she lost, there is no better way to win a war than with a legacy of love, and Joyce did just that.

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