Saints MARTINIAN (†422), ZOYA and PHOTINIA (†428)

The holy Reverend Martinian is revered by the church as a deliverer from fornication. His life is inextricably linked with the life of the venerable Zoe and Photinia (Svetlana).

from southAt a young age, he loved God and began to lead a monastic life. Beautiful Martinian, 18 years old, left the city, his relatives, renounced worldly fuss and came to Palestine on a mountain called "Ark Place" for a silent and deserted life. Having stayed here for 25 years, he was honored to receive from God the gift of healing ailments and diseases. The fame of his virtuous life spread far beyond that country; all who heard of him came to him for the benefit of their souls. But the enemy of the human race, the devil, could not endure this and decided to expel the ascetic from his wilderness. Appearing to him in the form of a giant serpent, he threatened the saint:“I will bring upon you such a temptation as you cannot bear; I will tear you out of your cell, I will leave you like a leaf blown by the wind…”

Byafter this the following happened. A certain harlot wife, having heard about the virtuous life of Martinian, argued that she would seduce him: “It is not difficult to be impassive without seeing a single woman. Without fire, hay does not burn. But if I go to him and he is not tempted by my beauty, then he will be great.” She took off her rich clothes, rings and earrings, gold rings, a monista and everything that seduces the mind and eyes of young men and put it into a bag. Then, taking him with her, she put on a torn rag, and on a stormy, rainy night, she approached the hermit's cell, asking him to shelter her from bad weather and wild animals. The monk took pity on the wanderer, received her, and shut himself up in the other half of the cell, where he usually prayed all night and sang psalms.

In the morning, the woman changed into beautiful clothes, so that the monk did not even immediately recognize her. She began to speak to him about the world and its joys, urging him to break his abstinence. The righteous man was embarrassed by the beauty and speeches of the woman. A sudden wave of temptation washed over him... With the words: “wait a little, I’ll go and see if there is anyone, so that they don’t see us. We cannot hide our sin from God; let's hide it, at least from people", he left the cell and began carefully examining the road. But God, the Lover of mankind, gave him His help for the sake of his deeds, and changed his evil thought to a good one. The saint kindled the brushwood lying on the ground and stepped into the fire with his bare feet, saying to himself: « Well, what about Martinian, how do you like this eternal fire and pain from it? Can you endure eternal torment? Then do as the woman says." Finally, from unbearable pain, he fell to the ground and exclaimed: "Lord, my God, be merciful to me a sinner!"

From this cry, as from a terrible dream, the soul of the harlot awakened. She shuddered as she realized the depth of her fall. "Teach me how to be saved!", - the woman exclaimed, throwing her luxurious robes and jewelry into the fire. He also replied: « Go to Bethlehem, find there a holy virgin named Pavla, who built a holy church there, tell her everything that happened and be saved by her. Look, don't go back: "no one who puts his hand on the plow and looks back is fit for the Kingdom of God" (Luke 9:62). Watch over yourself so that you do not again be mocked by the enemy, remain unremittingly in repentance, for God accepts the repentant.

The woman did as the saint told her. Blessed Pavla gladly accepted her into her monastery and guided her every day on the path of salvation. This woman began to labor diligently and fast, without weakening her labors. Shortly before death, blessed Zoya- that woman had such a name - she asked the Lord to reveal to her whether her repentance was accepted. As an announcement of His mercy, the philanthropic God gave her the gift of healing. For 12 years, blessed Zoya labored in fasting and in peace surrendered her soul to the Lord. During the whole time of her repentance, she did not eat wine, oil, or vegetables, but only a little bread and water. She took food only once a day in the evening, and sometimes two days later, her bed was the bare earth. Such was the ascetic life of the saint, such was her death.

Saint Martinian was healed of burns only after 7 months. He decided to retire to a place where women would not have access at all. After praying, the blessed one settled in the middle of the sea on a high stone rock. One God-fearing shipbuilder 2-3 times a year brought him food and drink at his request; also palm branches for weaving baskets.

Living on this stone in the open air, the blessed one patiently endured both the heat of the day and the cold of the night. He praised God day and night and constantly learned in Divine thought. 6 years here passed peacefully for him, and he was free from temptations, but in the seventh year the peace of his seclusion was broken. The crafty enemy did not want to leave the saint and tried in every possible way to annoy him.

Once the devil saw that a ship was sailing in the sea, where there were both husbands and wives. He raised a storm, and a strong wind, driving the ship to one stone, broke it. All those who were on it drowned, only one girl managed to grab onto the board and sailed on it to the rock where Martinian lived and appealed to him for help. After a little hesitation, he gave her his hand, but seeing that the girl was very beautiful, he realized that he must leave this place, for truly, hay and fire cannot be together . Leaving the maiden on the rock until the arrival of the shipbuilder, the blessed one, having overshadowed the sea with the sign of the cross, threw himself into the water with the words:

“Lord Jesus Christ, let me perish. In Your name I will plunge into the sea, for it is better for me to die in the waves than to be kindled by bodily passion for a woman. By the will of God, two dolphins lifted him onto their spines and carried him to the shore.

Since then, the blessed one began to move from one place to another, from one city to another, and spoke like this: "Run, Martinian, lest you be attacked." He spent his life without a rod, a sack, bread, two robes, or money. He spent the night where the night overtook him. In two years he visited one hundred and sixty-four cities and finally came to Athens. Feeling the approach of his death, the saint entered the church, lay down on the ground and called for the bishop. With words “Commit me to burial, father, for the sake of the Lord!”, he breathed his last. At this, the face of the blessed one lit up with a smile. The bishop, with great honor, buried his holy body in that church.

But let us turn to that girl left by Martinian on the rock. Left on the rock Photinia- such was the name of this girl, - she ate bread and water, as the blessed one indicated to her. According to custom, after two months the sailor went to the rock, carrying bread and water for the monk. Approaching the rock, he saw a girl instead of a monk, thinking that it was a ghost, he was frightened. However, Photinia reassured him by telling him everything that had happened. She asked that men's clothes be brought to her from hair shirt, wool for needlework, as well as bread and water, as he did for the blessed husband, for there is no difference between male and female. “Let your wife come here with you: she will dress me in men's clothes, and I will work what she orders me to do”.

The shipbuilder did everything she asked. Two days later, he came here again with his wife, who, kissing her and bowing to the ground, brought her clothes and bread from the ship. Blessed Photinia took off her women's clothes, putting aside women's weakness along with this, and put on a man's robe and girded herself with wisdom and masculine strength.

After this, she released them in peace. In the third month, the shipbuilder, together with his wife, again came to Photinia, and brought her bread with them. Staying on the island, the blessed virgin praised the Lord for her life. Every day she offered 12 prayers to God, and every night she aggravated this pious deed and prayed to the Lord twenty-four times. A pound of bread served her food for two days. Thus, with the help of God, she reached the end of her life. When she settled on this rock, she was twenty-five years old, and she labored on the rock for 6 years; therefore, in peace, she gave up her pure and holy soul to the Lord.

Saint Photinia (Svetlana)

2 months after her death, when the shipbuilder arrived at the appointed time with his wife, they found blessed Photinia deceased; her hands were folded crosswise, her face was light: she looked as if sleeping. Bowing to her holy body and taking it, they put it in a ship and sailed to the city of Caesarea in Palestine. Here the shipbuilder went to the Bishop of Caesarea and told him everything about the virtuous life of St. Photinia. With all the clergy, the bishop honorably committed her body to burial, with the singing of divinely inspired psalms and songs, he gave honor and glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit now and forever and forever and ever. Amen.

Saints' advice on how to deal with temptations

The Monk Martinian is an excellent teacher of the fight against temptations. Here are some tips that can be offered to those who are placed in the need to fight temptations.

Move away from tempting surroundings how the righteous Martinian did it, who first lived in the desert and from there moved to a secluded island. "Outer temptations are so strong- says the Monk Neil, - that those who live in the world sometimes, as if against their will, are carried away by them. And that is why it is necessary to leave the world and seek peace and quiet in the desert, where nothing hurts the soul, strikes the imagination, does not irritate the passions. There, the eye does not see temptation, and what the eye does not see, it does not come to thought, and what is not in thought, does not touch the imagination and does not excite passion. Entertained by nothing, the desert-dweller has time and convenience for moral self-observation and improvement; he destroys sin at its very root, destroying thoughts and desires before they are revealed in actions..

Avoid evil people as the now glorified saint of God Martinian avoided them. "How Bodies Perish from the Contagion of Bad Air- says St. John Chrysostom, - so also the soul often suffers harm from association with vicious people. The parables also say a lot about this and convincingly suggest to everyone that it is necessary not only to avoid, but also to flee from people who advise evil, and not to deal with them, because if material objects are often damaged by us from touching something evil, Isn't it all the more free beings?

Curb the lust of the eyes through which temptation enters the soul. Let us listen to what St. Ephraim the Syrian says to teach us: “It is a great thing to keep the eyes. If you do not refrain from wandering eyes, then you will not lay straight paths of chastity. Do not allow your eyes to wander hither and thither, and do not peer into the beauty of others, lest with the help of your eyes your adversary depose you. If, out of passion, you give free rein to your eyes to look at vanity, then quickly stop them so as not to fall into the shame of fleshly pleasure.

“Despise this world with its charms, and love the one God and the eternal life: and you will live in the world, like Lot in Sodom, unharmed”(St. Tikhon of Zadonsk).

Finally, remember the eternal torment and the fire of Gehenna , and you, like the Monk Martinian, will overcome every temptation. Only because we are overcome by our passions is that we forget about the executions that follow them. St. Tikhon of Zadonsk speaks of the beneficialness of the memory of the eternal torments of Gehenna: “You see a man with fire or fever tormented, or when you enter the bath you feel a great heat, or you see a furnace, red-hot with fire. From this fire, come with your mind to the fire of Gehenna, in which unrepentant sinners will suffer endlessly. This reasoning teaches you to propitiate the goodness of God by repentance and tears, in order to get rid of this misfortune..

May these instructions of the God-wise holy fathers serve as a guide for us to avoid temptations!

Troparion of St. Martinianu, tone 8:
The flame of the temptations of tears was extinguished with streams, blessedly, and the waves of the sea, and the beasts of aspiration, curbing, you cried: glorified are you all-powerful, save me fire and storm.

Kondak st. Martinianu, tone 2:
Like the ascetics of piety, skillful, and the sufferer by the will of the honest, and the desert inhabitant and occupant, in songs we will worthily praise Martinian the honorable: he tramples the snake.

Each person from birth is assigned patron saints who accompany him through life. One of them is the namesake (eponymous) saint. They address him through a nominal icon. The nominal icon of Svetlana is the image of the intercessor of all women bearing this name. A person with any name can pick up a nominal icon of the patron saint.

The meaning of the nominal icon of Svetlana

Saint Photina (Photinia) of Palestine is known to Russian Orthodoxy under the name of Svetlana. Only since the middle of the last century, Orthodoxy has allowed girls to be baptized under this Old Slavonic name. Until that time, the Byzantine name Photina / Photinia was used for him.

A young girl named Photinia was thrown ashore on a desert island and was the only one who survived after a shipwreck. On this island, she met the hermit Martinian, who chose the path to God through solitude and constant prayer. Photinia was imbued with his idea and also chose for herself a lonely life in prayers and hardships. For six years her voluntary seclusion continued until the Lord called her into His chambers.

Before the nominal icon of Svetlana (Photinia), they pray for the increase of love both for the Lord and for life. When discontent, despondency, murmuring about the lack of goods, money, and entertainment come flooding in, you should turn to Saint Photina, she will help. Her earthly feat is a reminder of the highest values.

The Orthodox Church venerates Saint Svetlana on February 13 (old style) / 26 (new style) February. For those who were born on this date, you should buy a nominal icon of Svetlana, for them, both men and women, she is also a patron.

My name icon -
Holy Martyr Svetlana
(Photina, Photinia) Samaritan, Roman

Nominal icons are icons that depict the patron saint, the very one in whose honor this person celebrates his name day. Such icons have always been revered in Rus'. Each believer had an icon depicting his saint.
The heavenly patron is the first assistant in turning to God. Honoring and praying to the saint, you receive his protection and patronage. In front of her, you ask God for intercession in an hour of sorrow and thank your saint for the experienced joy.

The meeting of Saint Photina the Samaritan with Jesus Christ is described in the Gospel of John (John 4:5-42). This event became a key event in the life of the saint. Through her, the Samaritans gained faith. So an ordinary woman who was engaged in household chores, took care of her relatives, raised children, began to preach about Christ to other people.

The Holy Martyr Photinia was the same Samaritan woman with whom the Savior spoke at the well of Jacob. During the time of the emperor Nero in Rome, in the year 65, who showed extreme cruelty in the fight against Christianity, Saint Photina lived with her children in Carthage and fearlessly preached the Gospel there. Rumors about a Christian woman and her children reached Nero, he ordered the Christians to be brought to trial in Rome. Saint Photinia, informed by the Savior of the coming sufferings, accompanied by several Christians, set off from Carthage to Rome and joined the confessors. In Rome, the emperor asked them if they really believed in Christ?

All the confessors resolutely refused to deny the Savior. Then Nero subjected them to the most sophisticated tortures, but none of the martyrs denied Christ. In impotent rage, Nero ordered the martyr to be thrown into the well. The emperor ordered the rest to be beheaded. Saint Photinia was pulled out of the well and locked up in prison for twenty days. After which Nero called her to him and asked if she would now submit and make sacrifices to idols? Saint Photinia spat in the emperor's face and, laughing, refused. Nero again ordered the martyr to be thrown into the well, where she gave her spirit to the Lord. Together with her, both of her sons, sisters and the martyr Domnina suffered for Christ.

How does the icon protect

Protecting mental and bodily health, the icon of St. Photina preserves well-being in the house. It contributes to the creation of a strong family, supports spiritual unity between different generations. You and your children will be protected from sinful intentions, from all evil.

What does the icon help with?

The saint heals various diseases. With a prayer, they turn to the saint for diseases accompanied by elevated body temperature, for diseases of the skin and the musculoskeletal system. The Holy Martyr Photinia is revered by our people as a healer of fever. In many villages and cities of our country, prayers are served to her for those who suffer from this disease. They attach importance to the fact that the Savior spoke with the Samaritan woman at the well, and thanks to this, Saint Photinia could receive from the Lord power and strength over the entire water element, in which, according to popular views, this terrible disease nests.

Prayer to the Holy Martyr Photina

Oh, holy martyr Fotino! Immensely inspired by love for Christ, you showed courage, patience and great strength with your sisters, sons and those who were enlightened by you. She boldly preached the gospel of Christ, and appearing to you and to everyone who was with you, Christ, and strengthened and comforted everyone for the coming torment. Having come to Rome and fearlessly confessing Christ, the former was imprisoned, and having endured many torments, she was thrown into the well, and she gave her soul to the Lord. Hear us, Saint Fotino, who shone with spiritual beauty and unceasingly and incessantly, in prison and in cities, teaching faith in Christ. Listen to us, looking at us sinners, and by the grace of Christ heal those who are ill with a fever, may the rain of sin not sprinkle them, but in the health of their souls and bodies they will unremittingly spend their lives in good deeds and glorify the Lord of all, the Father of bounties, God the Merciful, in all ages. Amen.

When is the holy day

The Orthodox Church celebrates the day of memory of the holy martyr Svetlana (Fotina), her sons - martyrs Victor, named Fotin, and Josiah, and sisters - martyrs Anatolia, Fota, Photis, Paraskeva, Kyriakia, Domnina and Martyr Sebastian on March 20 / April 2.

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The meaning of the name Svetlana

The meaning of the name Svetlana is "pure", "bright"
Svetlana - full name from Sveta, Lana
Origin - Slavic

Horoscope named after Svetlana

*Zodiac sign - Aquarius.
* The ruling planet is Neptune.
* Talisman-stone - rock crystal.
*Mascot color - blue, green and red.
*Mascot plant - lily, birch
* The talisman-animal is a white hare.
* The most successful day is Saturday.
*Predisposition to traits such as -
activity, friendliness, inconstancy, kindness,
responsiveness, ease, sociability, accuracy
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Rewrite the prayer by hand and always carry it with you, it will be your protection, you can read it at any time when you have problems, and also do not forget to praise your protector - the Holy Martyr Svetlana (Fotina)

Prayers addressed to St. Photinia of Palestine near her icon will heal your soul from filth, and will also help you overcome any grief.

Christianity knows many people who devoted themselves entirely to faith and remained faithful to the Lord until the last minutes of their lives, despite all the torments. Photinia of Palestine is no exception, whose icon has miraculous properties and helps in any misfortune.

History of the icon

Orthodox Photinia is well known among all Christian nations. She played a huge role in the development of Christianity and is one of the few holy martyrs who personally met with Jesus himself.

The reverend lived in ancient times and was from the Samaritan family. In those days, her people were at enmity with the Jews, but one day Jesus himself made his way through the settlements where Photinia of Palestine lived. He stopped to drink water from the well, where the holy martyr was also staying. Despite the enmity of the peoples, she allowed the wanderer to quench his thirst. Christ told the saint about himself, about his faith, pointed out her sins, and at that moment God's saint began to see clearly. She returned to her city and told people about her meeting with the Savior, and then many of the Samaritans converted to Christianity.

From then until the end of her life, Photinia preached the Christian faith, was sincerely devoted to the Lord and, despite persecution, did not renounce her faith, having suffered a lot of torment and suffering for this.

Today, the martyr is deeply revered and respected by Orthodox believers. Her icons are endowed with real miraculous power, capable of doing incredible things and healing people.

Where is the miraculous image

In many holy monasteries there are icons of the martyr. All of them have miraculous properties. The most revered and famous of them are located:

• in the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity in Moscow;
• in the church of Adrian and Natalia in the Moscow district on the Yaroslavl highway;
• in the Church of the Great Martyr Photinia in Dnepropetrovsk.

Description of the icon

On the holy image, the righteous woman is most often depicted waist-deep. Her attire is simple and discreet, her head is covered with a scarf. In one of the hands of the martyr, a small jug is usually depicted. It is a symbol of the kindness and generosity that Photinia showed by allowing a stranger, the Son of God, to drink water from a well.

What do they pray for in front of the icon

Believers turn to the reverend for help with various life difficulties. But most often Orthodox people pray before the miraculous icon of the saint:

• about help and support;
• about raising the spirit and strength of the ox;
• about overcoming sinful actions and thoughts;
• about the strengthening of faith and righteousness;
• about healing from spiritual wounds and anguish.

Righteous Photinia of Palestine is the patroness of women who bear the name Svetlana, as well as all martyrs and sufferers.

Celebration Day

The day of veneration and worship in front of the sacred icon of the great martyr is considered February 26th. On this day, a special service is held in many churches in honor of the memory of the saint and her righteous great deeds.

Prayer before the icon

“Oh, the great sufferer of God! We lift up our prayers to You. Hear us and help on the woeful path of our lives. Do not leave us, give us strength, do not let us stray from the true path leading to the Lord. Heal our souls from torment, give us will and hope for the best. Become our intercessor and do not renounce us, O righteous Photinia! May we glorify your name! Till the end of time. Amen".

Great Martyr Photinia of Palestine dedicated her earthly life to the Lord. She suffered a lot of suffering for her faith and devotion to the Heavenly Father, but still she did not renounce her true religion, which earned her the love and respect of all Christian peoples who for centuries have been praying before the icon of the saint for her help and support, which she always provides. We wish you peace of mind. be happyand don't forget to press the buttons and

25.02.2018 05:26

Matrona of Moscow is one of the saints beloved and revered by Orthodox believers. Since birth, she...

The life of the holy reverend Photinia (Svetlana) of Palestine

Svetlana is a Russian name. At baptism, they were allowed to give it only in the middle of the last century. In Greek, the name Photina corresponds to it. Therefore, the story of Saint Svetlana is actually the story of the Palestinian girl Photinia.

Clouds hung over the water. Wave after wave came on, and their run became faster and faster. Meeting each of them, the ship shot up, and then fell sharply. The people crowded on the deck convulsively clutched at the rigging and the sides. Their cries merged into one voice of despair. A huge wall of water was advancing. Just a moment, and she fell upon them with terrible force. There was a crack. The ship went down.

When the storm subsided, only one dot was visible on the surface of the sea in the light of the moon. All that was left of the sailboat was a plank. A young girl held on tightly to her. From the experience she was in some kind of oblivion. She opened her eyes for a moment, tightened her grip on the board and closed them again, her lips repeating the words of the prayer without stopping.

When she woke up, she felt the ground beneath her. The waves threw her onto a small piece of land, over which a rock towered. An unfamiliar man was sitting on a stone next to her.

- Who you are? Where I am? Saint Photina asked.

“I’ll explain everything to you, but now we need to climb a rock, the tide will soon begin, and the coast will be flooded,” the stranger answered and helped the girl get up from the ground.

They made it through the climb. At the top of the rock, Saint Photina looked around and realized that she had landed on an island.

- The ship sank, did anyone else escape? Saint Photina looked at the man with hope.

“No,” the stranger lowered his head.

Saint Photina looked at the sea, and when she turned around, it was clear that tears were flowing down her cheeks. The man's heart trembled with pity, how beautiful she was! He frowned.

“I have to tell you something, I hope you understand me, I must leave you immediately,” he said in a hoarse voice, cleared his throat and continued. My name is Martiniam. From the age of 18 I lived in the desert, alone in silence. This is my way to God, but temptations overtake me even in loneliness. Once there, in the desert, a woman came to me, her name was Zoya. She said she was lost and asked for help. I put her up for the night. But she deceived me, her goal was to lead me astray. At night, she appeared before me in a beautiful outfit. To keep myself from temptation, I stepped barefoot into the red-hot coals left from the fire. Then Zoya repented of her act, and I left the desert and found solitude here, on this rock. Now I see you and I understand that I must leave. But don't be afraid, here's some bread and water for you. That's enough, a ship will come in a week. On it, three times a year, they bring me a supply of food and water. They will take you. Goodbye!

Having said this, Saint Martiniam jumped into the water and swam. Saint Photina looked after him until his figure turned into a dot, which then disappeared over the horizon.

Seven days before the arrival of the ship. Under the rock, she found the supplies pointed out by the man. There were only rocks and stones around, and not a single cave that could serve as a shelter for her. There were no grass or trees either. Lifeless island.

But she was alive! And for this she tirelessly thanked the Lord in her prayers. Sometimes she was visited by longing for the dead, dear to her people who were with her on the ship. They all died, and then she asked why, why it was she who was saved. She did not find an answer, but she often recalled the story of Saint Martiniam, who performed a feat in the name of the Lord. At the end of the sixth day, she decided that she had not hit the rock by accident. Now she must follow the example of Saint Martiniam.

In the morning she saw a ship. A boat landed on the shore, a man disembarked from it. He climbed a rock and was very surprised to see a girl instead of Saint Martiniam. Saint Photina told him everything. The shipbuilder invited her to the ship, promising to immediately take her wherever she said.

- I'm staying here. You helped St. Martiniam, do the same for me, and I will pray for you, - there was no doubt in the words of St. Photina.

– Of course, I will bring you food and water, but I hope you will change your mind and come back.

- No. Could you visit me with your wife, and please, in addition to bread and water, bring wool next time for needlework. The work will help me.

The shipbuilder promised to fulfill her request and left the island. So the girl began her feat. She prayed day and night and always thanked the Lord for the gift of life to her. It did not matter to her at all that she lived in the open air, washed by cold rains in winter and overcoming the exhausting heat of the summer sun. She had enough loaf of bread for the day. She did not listen to the feeling of hunger, her whole being was occupied with love for God, and she did not get tired of thanking him for her life.

Six years have passed. The shipbuilder regularly visited the rock three times a year. This time he did not find Saint Photina, whom he and his wife treated with great trepidation, bowing before her ascetic feat. The Lord took Saint Photina to himself. On the island, they found only her body. They took him away and took him to Caesarea of ​​Palestine, where they buried him with great honors.

It is known that Saint Photina survived Saint Martiniam by four years. He swam for a long time after he jumped off the cliff. The forces were already leaving him, but unexpectedly dolphins came to the rescue. They carried him out to sea. The saint wandered around different countries for two years, but, sensing the approach of death, he came to the Athenian temple. Falling to the floor, he asked the priest to give his body to the ground after his death.

The meaning of the icon

The image of Saint Svetlana (Photina, Photinia) of Palestine teaches us love for the Lord and love for life. How often we get upset, we blame fate, we are dissatisfied, we always lack money, food, entertainment. And then we are ready to hate our life, accusing providence of injustice. Saint Svetlana (Fotina) miraculously escaped death, she accepted what happened as a gift from the Lord and did not want to waste the years allotted to her. Her feat makes a person take a different look at life. In any circumstance, whatever happens, we should be grateful for her.