Make the most of life's first half

On Thursday, I watched the impressive debut performance of Carson High School's "Into the Woods," the Steven Sondheim musical about fairy tales and life.

Fairy tales are the make-believe stories of real life. "Happily ever after" is only at the end of Act I. The real issues are dealt with in Act II. After happily ever after, there's still greed, lust, revenge, sudden death and even honor and love.

Going into the woods is a metaphor for the challenges, fears and risks we face as humans, and how we come to grips with them.

I've been spending time in the woods lately with my friend, Donna, who died April 9.

I had never experienced the death of a close friend, someone my age, until now.

Toward the end of "Into the Woods," reacting to an untimely death, one character laments, "Sometimes, people leave you halfway through the book." I know this lament: I grieve the loss of a friend, and I am sad that her life has been cut short.

Donna and I became friends in 1984, when we both worked on the state Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program in the Governor's Office of Community Services. I met her my first day on the job.

Donna's enthusiasm for the program was more overwhelming than her physical presence - 6 feet tall, blonde and exuberant.

It was a two-person program, and I was replacing Donna's work partner. Donna and she were the program's founding mothers, having developed the implementing rules for CDBG in Nevada based on stacks of federal guidelines.

Donna was remarkable in her ability to work on a team. I'd question a procedure and suggest an alternative. She was never defensive, only explanatory, and eager to make changes to improve the program.

Donna and I traveled together in rural Nevada, monitoring grantees to make sure the money was being spent in accordance with the myriad requirements that come with free money.

We shared a love of the landscape and appreciated the privilege of working with rural Nevadans to sustain their communities. On the long stretches of rural highway, we bonded, sharing our lives, laughing all the way.

She had an infectious laugh, positive attitude and enthusiasm for planning and problem-solving. She also had an instinctive empathy for the other person, to draw them out.

In the intervening years, she worked for human services agencies, always dedicated to public service. When she became ill, Donna was the deputy director of the Nevada Division of Aging Services.

Ironically, her background in addressing the needs of seniors suddenly became reality as she struggled to coordinate doctor appointments, obtain wheelchair van transportation in Carson City, and navigate the medical maze.

As cancer sapped her energy, she drew courage from family and friends. We gained strength from her radiance and inner calm.

Leaving life halfway through the book is not fair. But Donna made the most of the first half of the book. At the end of her final chapter, she left the dark woods and went into the light with grace, dignity and elegance.

"Into the Woods" will be presented Thursday and Friday at the Carson City Community Center.

n Abby Johnson is a resident of Carson City. She consults on community development and nuclear waste issues.