Unfortunately, death is an inevitable end that we all face. No one is immune, no one can escape it. Last year on 25 April, I lost my grandfather.
Yesterday, the world lost many more beautiful souls in the tragic earthquake that struck Nepal. I knew one of those souls. As I sit here and type this, I am making many mistakes, my hands are shaking, I am in utter shock. I can’t even begin to imagine the pain her family is going through right now. Their whole family, who I’ve had the pleasure of meeting at my dear friend’s wedding in Phuket just two months ago, has been forever altered.
I had the pleasure of sitting next to her brother at the wedding, I had just met him, but oh the fun we had that night! And at the end of the wedding, I knew that next time I was in NYC, I would look him up. It saddens me that the first contact we have had since then was due to a personal tragedy. His words were simple, “I am devastated”.
I had met Eve briefly over a year ago in NYC and even back then, I was struck by her aura. I was immediately attracted to her and I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy, in a good way, that she is one of those people you wish you could be. And when I got to know her better over the course of the wedding weekend, I was even more in awe of her, her sparkling persona and joie de vivre shone like a beacon in the night sky. Her sister was the bride, but you can bet that all the single guys were vying for her attention. But she wasn’t just a beautiful shell. She was caring, she was bright and she was adventurous. She was contemplating taking a new job that she wasn’t sure her parents would be too thrilled about, but you could tell that this was the job she wanted. Her eyes sparkled when she was telling me about this job.
It was a job that was supposed to only last a few months, but sadly when the earthquake struck in Nepal, the ensuing avalanche extinguished those sparkling eyes. Can you take comfort knowing that she died whilst doing what she loved the most? Maybe. Maybe not.
Of course no one needs to hear that life is precious and that you should live every moment of it. Don’t get caught up in the trivialities of life. Live life. Choose to be happy. Choose to live. Choose to love.
May you Rest in Peace Eve.
http://madisonmountaineering.com/staff/marisa-eve-girawong/
