Several years ago, shortly after I started this blog, I wrote a little piece about one of my colleagues at Baylor, Kristin Schroeder Simpson (as she was then known). She was smart and fun and quick-witted, and students loved her class.
Yesterday, I got an anonymous comment to that post from 2006, saying just "RIP." I didn't know what that was about, and almost dismissed it as spam. Instead, though, I did a quick search and found that Kristin had, in fact, died at the age of 38. Her body was found about a month after she went missing in Nebraska. A news report revealed that foul play was not suspected.
Her death is sad on many levels, many of which I do not know or understand. Sigh.
I considered taking down that post from seven years ago about Kristin, but decided not to. Even though that piece was written in jest, it held truths. I described her (through hyperbole) as a person of many and surprising talents (which was true), someone who was capable of surprising you (also true), and that she influenced people in a wide variety of places and ways (truest of all).
You,like a child but grown, allow these masterpiece humans to smack you in the heart and head. And Thanks be to God. That is one of your gifts and graces. O my dear Professor,I am so sorry. It hurts.
ReplyDeleteMay her memory be eternal - mental health is an area being ignored by the legal community and this death should have and could have been prevented.
ReplyDeleteI read this yesterday and almost called you. So sad and tragic. I remember her from a dinner or two at your place. She was such a bubbly, friendly and energetic presence on those occasions. See you soon. CL
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