Yesterday marked the one year anniversary of Eve Marie's death. While I can't say that I was ever "best" friends with Eve, I can tell you that she was easily one of the nicest people I have ever met. Her death had such a profound impact on me, and probably on many UNC students/alumni, and it's hard to believe it has been a year already. Even though Chancellor Moeser got some harsh critiques for making Eve's funeral/memorials more about UNC than about her, I do wholeheartedly believe that Eve embodied the Carolina spirit and what we've come to know as the "Carolina Way."
A year ago today I left work to drive back to my alma mater and attend a memorial service on campus. I had dinner that night with one of my best friends and we talked about a lot of things. About politics and gang violence and gun laws and the state of our country. We talked about how scared we were for the safety of our friends, now that something so terrible had happened so close to home. But we also talked about how it really made us see that life is precious and can be taken from you in an instant. We both said that we would use the powerful emotions we were feeling that day to drive us to really cherish life and to do meaningful things, as Eve had. Well, my friend is now living out her promise and having an amazing adventure traveling and volunteering and making a difference and I am so proud of her! But I feel like I have let myself down. I haven't done a lot of the things I told myself that I would and I hate that.
So this time I am putting it here, in writing, and I am going to hold myself accountable for it. I enjoy my life and have no grand dreams about changing the world, but there are things here that I can do to make a difference- and I will! Check back with me in a year to make sure that I have kept my word!
We miss you Eve.
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