Denise Arthur – Forever a Louisiana Lady and Legend
May the goodness and richness of her life reside in the deepest part of our hearts forever
If only you could sense how important you are to the lives of those you meet; how important you can be to the people you may never even dream of. There is something of yourself that you leave at every meeting with another person.
-Mr. Fred Rogers
If we truly walked through life fully understanding the magnitude of our presence in the lives of every single soul who happened along our life path, would we live and love a little differently? Would we open our hearts, our minds and even our homes a little more readily? If you think about it, we’ve all been exposed to those souls in our world.
One such soul was our very own Denise Arthur. Born and bred in Shreveport, Louisiana, Denise grew up understanding the great value of this concept. As a loving wife, devoted mom, loyal friend and beloved local radio show co-host, Denise Arthur was willing to use whatever medium and means necessary to enrich the lives of those with whom she crossed paths. She never shied away from sharing her own life experiences, hard-earned lessons or thought-provoking opinions, if she felt it would benefit the greater good.
Blessed with the gift of gab and a Dolly Parton-esque brand of rapid-fire quick wit, she had everybody within earshot gravitating towards her in hopes to be noticed by her and especially befriended by her.
People like Denise are among God’s sweetest blessings to our lives. It is because of their presence in our own lives that we are better aware and have a better understanding of who we are, who we want to be in this life and how we hope to be remembered long after our time on earth is done.
These are the people who teach us, by example, that kindness matters; service to others matters and ultimately, connecting with the people in our lives is what matters most of all. That connection is an unyielding gift that will continue to be far-reaching into the hearts of thousands upon thousands of people who will reside in a time and space beyond our wildest comprehension. This is actually referred to as the “butterfly effect”.
My favorite author, Andy Andrews, posed this question in his book, The Butterfly Effect:
“How far forward would we need to go in your life to show the difference your life makes?” Andy’s response could potentially change the way you view your place in this world…and the importance of it. Here is part of that response: “There are generations yet unborn whose very lives will be shifted and shaped by the moves you make and the actions you take today. And tomorrow. And the next day. And the next. Every single thing you do matters. You have been created as one of a kind.
The rarities that make you special are no mere accident or quirk of fate. You have been created in order that you might make a difference. You have within you the power to change the world.” And change the world she did. When thinking about Denise and the impact she had on the thousands upon thousands of people who not only happened along her life path but who fully connected with her spirit, I cannot help but give God all the glory for creating a soul whom He knew He could use to give all of us an earthly tangible sense of His presence…a friend we could count on to be an example of a good, loving and faithful servant in this world.
When your life message exceeds your time on earth, you become legendary in the hearts and minds of every soul influenced by your mere presence on this earth. We are forever indebted to Denise for so selflessly using her amazing life to touch all of ours.