Rest in Peace, Karen

I just lost a dear friend.

I met Karen around five years ago through common friends. She was tremendously kind, generous, and supportive. She would read her friends' blogs - I remember sharing links to my Russia posts because she was interested to visit Russia - and watch their vlogs. In our chat group, she would respond to people's questions, even if it was just to say that she didn't know or that she wasn't familiar with whatever was being asked. When I was prepping for my South America trip, there was a Samsonite luggage sale at the Rustan's Department Store but you needed to have a BDO credit card to get the 40% discount. Karen said that she had one and she volunteered to accompany me to Rustan's. When we got there, we found out that it was a specific BDO credit card that was needed so Karen and I ended up just having dinner in A Veneto in Glorietta. While the luggage purchase was a fail, it was still a good evening because we got to hang out and talk about stuff, including things we wanted to do.

What makes this loss even sadder is that it was all so sudden. One minute we were chatting about Smart TVs and the next, I learned that she had passed on. It didn't even register immediately. When my friend told us that Karen was gone, I thought she was referring to another person with the same name. It's really heartbreaking that I wasn't even able to say goodbye or wish her well. But that's how death is most times. Unexpected, like a thief in the night.

Karen said she wanted us to take a crack at the Morbid Morgue room in Mystery Manila - it was the one room we still hadn't tried in the Ayala the 30th Mystery Manila - but now I'm gutted that we won't ever get to do it, at least not with her. Maybe when the pandemic is over, I can gather our friends so we can give this room a go in her honor.

I'd like to end this post by sharing a song that's in Karen's Spotify playlist, Funeral Bell by Phildel. It's a hauntingly beautiful song and, given what has happened, also sadly appropriate.

video uploaded in youtube by Phildel - Topic

*****

 

Eternal rest grant unto Karen, O Lord

And let perpetual light shine upon her

May Karen and all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace

Amen.