Day 332 Kate

 

I've been anticipating this show ever since I heard it was coming to Theatre by the Sea! If you're a woman within five years of my age I'm sure you were too....we all had the album and listened to it relentlessly throughout jr. high and high school. There wasn't a break up back then that wasn't followed by a teenage girl sitting in a dark room listening to the Tapestry album crying. I was busy with my gymnastics buddies back then, we were like family training every day together throughout the year. I'm still close with my girls but sadly our little group lost one of our sisters years ago to an eating disorder. She was a bright light on a cloudy day and had a smile that beamed and a laugh that was contagious. She was silly, goofy and could make me laugh so hard my belly would hurt. Carol King was the soundtrack to our growing pains and we clung together throughout our teenage years for friendship and support. When Kate died it left a hole in our gymnastics family and we all still carry the pain of her loss. As Tim and I sat waiting for the show to begin Tim joked about who might sit next to me in the vacant seat, no doubt it would be a smelly, space hogging, man. Imagine my surprise when Kates little sister Erin came down the aisle to sit next to me, of course now fully grown up!  We both appreciated the serendipity of the moment and could feel Kate with us, as if she were placing us together for the night to reminisce those years through the music. The impact people have in our lives goes way beyond their death and I'm convinced they are with you whenever you need them....trust me, Kate was there last night. My sweet Kate was plagued with an eating disorder, a cruel and frustrating condition that for those of you unfamiliar you can't just tell them to eat a sandwich. Kate lives in my memories smiling, making me laugh, being silly and happy. Every time I see her sister my soul smiles with memories of Kate, hopefully hers does as well. Erin and I are now connected forever with our never ending love for Kate and cherished memories of her. Sorry I'm not blabbering on about my dress, Kate always had a way of stealing the spotlight!!