Not the usual light hearted fare

Today is Transgender Day of Rememberance

11 years ago my good friend Rita was murdered in her home. It was the most horrible and tragic thing I still have had to live through. I still remember it like it was yesterday. The sadness but also the amazing support our little artist community gave her family at a time that was so much more difficult than everyone had ever imagined they would ever had experience.

I still want to curl up and cry when I think about that day, waking up to the news, not being able to drive the short 10 minute drive to work without pulling over about 4 times. Getting to work and it hitting me like a ton of bricks. Breaking down and leaving. The days that followed were a blur. News cameras covering almost every minute.

The thing is this person has still yet to be caught. Rita was very up front with who she was and was never concerned about what others thought of her choices. This person was someone she had let into her home in a friendly gesture to hang out after the local bar was closed.

Even before this I was the kind of person who never judged a person on first appearances. I was raised that way. I should really thank my parents more for this, I will this weekend in my weekly phone calls. (Since I wrote this earlier I have since called them and done this, they were both a little confused but thankful)

I know I rarely get serious on this journal, I try not to ever push my beliefs on people. But this is different. Even as time goes by I can still hear her laugh and smell her perfume. Rita was a presence to be reckoned with, amazing in life that this all is a perfect way to make sure she continued this way.