Release

"Don't argue amongst yourselves
Because of the loss of me
I'm sitting amongst yourselves
Don't think you can see me"

I'd written out a nice cheerful blog, about how I've lost weight, caught up with old friends and sorted some bits of my life out over the Easter weekend. I'm not going to post it because, frankly, right at the moment it seems like the wrong thing to do.

Why? Because on Tuesday I got a call to tell me that one of the girls from the Leeds Uni Canoe club, with whom I and many others had paddled, drunk and partied, had been involved in an incident on the River Coe in Scotland, and had sadly passed away.

I'm not going to go into details, there's no need. It's a tragedy whenever someone young dies, and made more so when it's someone you know, someone who was popular, ever-cheerful, and full of potential. She was a very promising paddler and loved pushing herself and others to fulfil their aims and ideals. Amongst the club, her family and her friends, there are a lot of people now torn apart and trying to deal with a person-shaped void which will not go away, but given time and support, will hopefully begin to heal. 'Sorely missed' is a chronic understatement.

Rest in peace Emily.

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