illegitimi non carborundum

Ever since Cristi died my thoughts about death have gotten infinitely more frequent. Obviously about Cristi specifically, but also just death in general. How seemingly simple of a process it can be at certain times, and extraordinarily confusing at others.

I recently found out from my best friend that someone we went to high school with died a few days ago. I didn't really know her at all; my only interaction with her was in latin class and on the probatio team together for Latin Day. She was a couple years younger than us, and extremely smart. In fact, she went on to graduate from Harvard summa cum laude at the age of 20 -- at which point she was simultaneously awarded a master's degree. She was finishing up her Ph.D. in classics when she was hit by a car at the age of 26. She sustained a massive head injury, rendering her brain-dead, and was taken off life support a couple days later.

There's something particularly difficult about young people dying, and especially in such tragic accidents. I've thought about Corinne a lot today and yesterday; it's affected me more than I would have predicted since I didn't know her at all. I know I've become much more sensitive to dark emotions in the past couple years, so I'm guessing that's part of it.

I've been wanting to write this entry -- not sure why, just to voice the weirdness -- and happened to read Faye's entry about Sarah's death. Another young life taken. It's tough to make sense of it all.

But yes, we do have each other. Margaret is right, that's the good part of technology -- so quickly we are able to spread the word and gather support, in hopes of feeling less alone. That's the part of death that reminds me that it's going to be okay.