Life's a Dance, We All Have to Do

Just before Christmas in 2008 my good friend Heather died, doing what she loved most, skiing, she was caught in an avalanche. She was one of the most vivacious people I've ever known. Full of life. She'd travelled the world, dancing her way through. She spoke at least 3 or 4 languages, which is quite unusual for an American. She is the most enthusiastic person I've ever known. She had a genuine curiosity about everyone and all things she came into contact with.

After she died her family had facebook memorialize her facebook page, so it still exists. Friends and family still post on her wall. From time to time I look her up to see what people are saying. A full year has passed and people still post on her wall almost daily. It always makes me cry. It makes me so happy and devastatingly sad to see how many people's lives she's touched. I look at it and feel happy that she's remembered and so loved, then I realize how many people miss her and the pain they all must feel when they think of her.

Recently someone posted this youtube video on her wall saying that the song reminded her of Heather, it warmed my heart. Any of you that know her will probably agree that this song reminds you of her.

The song We're All in the Dance by Feist has reminded me of Heather for a very long time too.

I feel like life is so short and the only hope there is at all is to find love and happiness in the people around me and to give them my love in return.

Heather was the first of three to die last year of people I love. In September Greg's Grandfather Nelson died, and just before Christmas his Grandfather Locke died. Both of these men were amazing people, and accepted me into their families with so much love. I wish I had words to describe what kind of people they were, but I don't. Nothing I say could come close to describe the kindness and gentleness they personified. They were true family men that ALWAYS put their loved ones first, they were patriotic (both fought in WWII), incredibly organized and took pride in all they did. It's funny how genetic personality traits show themselves as families grow. As I got to know Greg's grandfathers I recognized so many traits in them also present in Greg.

I wish I could express what I'm feeling and thinking better, I want to say so much, I want to be accurate in describing the way these three have touched my life.