A friend, a tragedy, and a scholarship program

I did not know my highly esteemed Lady in Red well when her brother, Raymond, passed away from unknown causes. I did get to hear her talk about him one giddy, childless night after a school function over snacks, when we tried to cram a year's worth of socializing in one and a half stolen hours.

LIR loved her brother so very much--with a closeness, and a fervor, a devotion and an admiration that I can only hope my children feel for each other when they are grown. If the size of a person's heart can be judged by the hole they rip out of the world when they leave it, Raymond must have possessed the heart of the sun. His passing left one hell of a dark hole.

Lady in Red is herself a formidable woman, with terrific passion, compassion, and the Goddess' potential for doing great (and terrible:-) things. (These wonderful qualities can be seen in her children and her writing--all offspring are beautiful, without question or doubt.) She and her mother have begun a scholarship program in memory of Raymond, and to that end, her mother is selling what she callsREARVIEW DANGLES. They are rearview mirror charms, and they are really very cool. ''. (Lady in Red says that it's a horrible name...it's been growing on me all day, I have to admit.)

I told LIR that I'd put the link in my blog, because I think it's a wonderful idea--especially because Raymond was an artist, and I've seen first hand (haven't we ALL) how very little the public education system gives to our artistically talented. It is very true that a society is judged by its art, and I shudder to think what we're teaching our young people about our society in terms of what we can offer our gifted ones. I think that remembering lost potential by investing in found potential is a beautiful idea.

It can't close up a hole the size of the heart of the sun, of course, but it may be able to soften the ragged edges from whence it was ripped.