Speechless

“When we lose someone we love, it seems that time stands still.  What moves through us is a silence... a quiet sadness... A longing for one more day... one more word... one more touch...  We may not understand why you left this earth so soon, or why you left before we were ready to say good-bye, but little by little, we begin to remember not just that you died, but that you lived.  And that your life gave us memories too beautiful to forget.”

This past Saturday, January 21st, 2012, my family lost a beautiful, intelligent, talented and truly amazing member. She was 21 years old. Full of life. She had such a bright future ahead of her. And I'm not just saying that, because it seems that's all there is to say when someone is taken too soon. She was living a life full of promise. She was a top student and was truly unique. She LOVED music, and not the typical pop loved by so many girls her age. She loved the Beatles and classic rock. She loved to be just a little bit different. And it fit her. She was one of a kind, and yet EVERYONE loved her. She was never found without a smile, and could instantly put one on your face with her mere presence. She lived for her family, who happened to also be her closest friends. She was a light in our family's lives.
And I find it so amazing that I can say all of those wonderful things about her, because we weren't even close. She's an extended cousin, the daughter of my mother's cousin, and we're quite a few years apart. I was actually a lot closer to her mother. But our family is strong. Like, Steel Magnolias strong (you have to be a chick to understand). We don't see eachother all that often, but we're closer than most people are with their own selves. I had the honor of watching her grow into the spirit she became. And what a spirit she was.
She was one of three young people who passed in a tragic house fire early Saturday morning. It was a quick and furious fire. Four other people were able to escape. Our deepest prayers are that she passed peacefully in her sleep and never had a chance to see the madness around her. Please God, let that be the case.
Her two sisters, all only a year apart, are completely broken and lost without their best friend (she was the oldest). Her parents, who I call my aunt and uncle, are still in complete shock. No one can try to understand it, nor do we want to. We all want to pretend that it's just a bad dream. And if we never really understand, then maybe it will never be real.
RIP Kerry Rose. You are forever loved.