Through this blog, I have been very fortunate to virtually meet a lot of funny, creative, and talented people. In addition to the sizable army of Russian spammers who enjoy frequenting this blog (I like to call them "spamniks" or "spamonauts"), people have visited from Holland, Portugal, Canada, the U.K., all over the U.S., Japan, India, and who knows where? If you use "private browsing," I certainly do not know where. I hope it's pleasant wherever you are.
Anyway, Jayne, here's the thing. When I think about the bloggers I've encountered, I picture a big dark globe and all of you bloggers are these bright little lights twinkling across the dark globe. There are the Canada lights, the California lights, the Massachusetts lights, the New York lights, the Florida light, South Carolina, New Orleans, Maine, Arizona, England, Wales. Yada Yada. As the box that Lily holds below says: "Each lamp burns independently."
There you all are, lamps burning bright, twinkling across the dark
globe, creating. So funny, such great writers, talented artists, gifted photographers, there you all are. In the peak time when we were all blogging a lot, the
collective, connected glow from us all felt very bright and warm. It made the globe less dark. And behind each of those lights, all of you
have big, real lives that go beyond that twinkling. I know a little bit
about some of you, and I know a little bit about you, Jayne. What I know about you has given me tremendous respect for you--as a mother, as a daughter, as a wife, and a really strong person with the best and darkest sense of humor I've ever experienced. Here's one of my favorite comments that you made on my blog once: "Be careful if you try and laugh gaily whilst throwing your head back in a becoming female manner. When I tried it, something clicked in my neck, I fell over, and I squashed a plate of ham sandwiches."
So, Jayne: Today I learned that you died. That feels incredibly unfair to me. I sit here sending good thoughts to your family. And I sit here thinking about you. Because I am thinking about you, I will do two things.
I will ask people to consider donating their organs, because you asked them to consider doing that. And Jayne, I will tell you this: I will always remember you, I will never forget you, and your light will always be there twinkling across the dark globe for me. (Note: I believe you would be the first to point out that it would actually be a lot better to still be alive. I agree.)
