On The Hey Now

I have been trying to write this post for several days but I wanted my words to contain grace, eloquence, depth, and meaning.  So here goes......

My best friend's sister passed away very early on Monday morning.  It was sudden and unexpected and I am struggling to make sense of it all.  This is one of the hardest losses I have felt in recent years and she and I were not really close.  We were involved in each other's lives because we both share an undying love for Kim.  Our bond was solidified due to our love for Kim.  I feel a sense of loss because as much as Kim was my person, Kristi was Kim's person.  To see my friend lose her best friend is unbearable, simply devastating.  My heart breaks for her, Kristi's husband, Kristi's kids and all those who lives she has touched.  She has touched many lives and many hearts, mine included.  I have never told Kristi what I have learned from her and how much she taught me.  I wish that I had and I hope she knows who she was and how amazing, great, special, inspiring and loved she was.

Although I never told her what she meant to me and others, I hope that my thoughts and words can reach her husband and family and remind them in the many dark days ahead that we were all blessed to have know her and although their time with her was cut way too short, that time was a gift.  Kristi was a gift.  I learned from her how to be a better mom.  She loved with her whole heart and for a child, to be loved with your mother's whole heart is truly the best gift you can be given.  I hope with every ounce of my being that each of her children know that everything that she was and everything she wanted to be was for all of them.  She loved and adored each and everyone of you.  Hearing her talk about her husband and kids made me realize how grateful that she was that they were the life she chose.  

I have a few personal stories that I want to share from my great memories with her.  The first one was a trip to New York for my 30th birthday.  It was me, Kim, and Kristi and it was fantastic.  We stayed at the Waldorf-Astoria and all three of us shared a king bed.  It was like some silly high school slumber party and it was really fun.  We went to Tavern on the Green, got our nails done, saw the World Trade Center, and drank martinis at a fancy Martini bar, among other awesome things.  We were out of place and loved every minute of the trip.  Thanks for helping me make memories that I cherish.  Kim and I left after a few days, and Bob flew out to meet Kristi for a few more days.  He flew out because Kristi hated experiencing New York without him.  She needed to share it with him  because  how Kim is my person, and Kristi was Kim's person, Bob was Kristi's person and she couldn't handle not sharing it with him.

Another story about Kristi that made me realize just how inspiring she is happened just this last Christmas.  I had a friend who was in huge crisis and was going to have a hard time time giving her kids not only the Christmas they deserved but any Christmas at all.  I reached out to my friends for help and Kristi came through big.  She took my friend shopping and made it one of the best Christmases that they had ever had.  And Kristi did this all for a complete stranger.  She saw a crisis and paid it forward.  I have learned from Kristi that no matter what we give or how we help, we can always be more and we can always do more.  Kristi always was more and she always did more.  She was giving, sharing, loving, and caring.

She is gone to soon but it is not in vain because her life was filled with lessons for us all.  I have paid it forward so many times because Kristi showed me how to be that person.  I am a better person for having known her and so is everyone else who has met her.  To Bob and the kids, thank you for sharing her with us for even a minute.  I offer to you my deepest sympathy on your loss.  I will work hard to continue her work of making the world a better place and honor her memory.  I will remember to show people how grateful that I am for them.  I will love harder, work harder, and make change.  Thank you, Kristi, for teaching me and reminding me that I can be the change that the world wants to see.  You were the change and I hope you knew it.  I hope you that you realize how positively you affected every one's lives.  I hope you know that you were loved and admired.  The world was a better place because you were in it.

This song make me think of you......and I hope heaven is just like the Hey Now and that you and Karri are showing those bitches how it's done......

Rest In Peace

Kristi Crook 1969-2015