She made me better
I adored Sara. She was the older sister I always needed and never had until I found her nearly 28 years ago, thanks to the wonderful time I spent working at Agnes Scott. She was one of the great blessings in my life. She was beautiful, brilliant, funny as hell, loving to her core, elegant, loyal. An artist. Able to see beauty, able to call out wrong.
Dan, you and I have never met but I feel I know you so well. Your mother was so incredibly proud of you, loved you with her whole being, and delightedly told the world that you were her greatest achievement. I last spoke with Sara in April I believe. We discussed the importance of staying connected, and that email is a gift in these times, but that conversations are treasured - just hearing voices on the other end seems to cut through the loneliness differently than writing. I am so grateful for the time she and I had together back in the fall, when we attended Lewis Thayne's daughter's wedding. We spent the better part of two days together, and while it was a delight to attend the wedding events together, the great gift of that weekend was the time with her on our own.
I will miss her so much. I am so thankful for the gift of her in my life. I have many Sara quotes and memorable moments that are treasures. She made me better. She made me think. She asked me hard questions. She helped me stare down dark times. She was my friend.