Inspirational Feature By J1 Reporters Julia Crump and Emma Eaton

It’s about living. It’s about trying new things. It’s about doing what makes you happy.

Mrs. Karen Brown, former secretary at Marian, talks about her life after battling lung cancer.

An inspiration to many, Brown shows perseverance every day by living life to the fullest.

She speaks a lot about values saying, “Family is the most important. I consider myself a very spiritual person. Not religious, but definitely spiritual.”  Keeping what’s important to her close, Brown spends time visiting her parents and two daughters in Colorado.

Although she doesn’t consider herself an inspiration, she knows what kinds of people inspire her. “People who continue to live life and be healthy even while they age,” Brown said. “People who don’t stop trying new things.”

It is important to her that people continue to stay active in the community.

To inspire Mrs. Brown,  one has to go above and beyond. “Michelle Obama inspires because of the healthy lifestyle she is trying to enforce, and even though I’m not religious, Pope Francis promotes being a good person and changing the face of the Catholic faith,” Brown said.

She said the phrase “to take lemons and make lemonade” when thinking of people who inspire her.

These days, Brown keeps busy by volunteering, traveling, and spending time with the people who matter to her. “I want to hit everything on my bucket list,” she said. “I want to go snorkeling in the Caribbean, go to Bora Bora, and hopefully be a grandmother.”

In conjunction with her goals, Brown exercises and naps daily. “Naps are important.Toddlers complain, but they’ll appreciate it one day.”

No matter what the struggle, nothing has stifled her enthusiasm to keep going. The main message from Mrs. Brown is this: “I believe we have to make every day count for something.”

This message can be applied to all areas of life not any struggle specifically. “To figure out life, you have to try new things and continue to make every day mean something.”