Howzat,
I have a friend named Kristin. A lot of you probably know her, and most likely you call her your friend as well.
Kristin writes at Wanderlust.
Kristin is an incredible, astonishing person.
She has been through so much in the last twelve months of her life. I won't go into it here- it's not my story to tell. If your read Wanderlust, you will already know what has happened. If you don't- and you should- you can do your research there. Because Kristin, this amazing, astonishing woman, has been brave enough to speak out against what has happened. To make hers a voice, where so many woman have none. Where so many women stay silent.
Kristin writes about things, sometimes, that we don't even want to think about.
And yet she writes in such way that you can't help but read.
Spellbound.
For months now, I've been emailing my friend Kristin. Every time I write her, I say "Are you OK?" or "How are you doing?".
And every time, I feel the solid frustration of being so far away from someone I care about. For my words having such little effect, stones thwacking onto packed dirt instead of plopping satisfyingly into a pond of empathetic water.
Words, for pain such as this, are a thoroughly useless thing. Words on a screen. They are no balm for this kind of grief.
Have you ever watched that movie, the Princess Bride? Where every time the servant said "As you wish", he was really saying that he would die for her, follow her, love her for all eternity?
Don't panic, Kristin. We're not going quite that far.
But every time I write to you, "Are you OK?" or "How are you doing?", those cliched, useless platitudes, I mean them, in a way most people don't mean words like those, when they slip them into small talk, weave them into the tepid conversations of everyday life.
Every time I say those things, this is what I mean- I am thinking of you, praying for you (in my own unique kind of way), sending you strength and loving, happy vibes. I'm so sorry you've had to endure this.
I'm amazed at what a honest, brave, compassionate, strong woman you are.
I just adore your integrity, damn it.
Not a real Aussie. Or a real beard.
I'm in awe of the way you just keep going, just keep fighting on.
Keep fighting, K. Hang on in there. We're all behind you, pulling for you, every step of the way.
It astonishes me how someone I've never met, who's voice I do not know, can be so very important to me. But Kristin is important to me. And, as I said, she's probably very important to a lot of you out there too.
I'm so glad you're coming to Australia, Kristin.
For lack of a more poetic phrase- I just cannot wait to meet you.