tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2242321492229602144.post6843012448004912787..comments2024-03-25T09:33:34.063-04:00Comments on A Woman Named Sophie: Final Farewell: Lisa Empanada's MemorialSophie Lynnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04333071551207169892noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2242321492229602144.post-48376264679116405152013-10-08T15:25:44.587-04:002013-10-08T15:25:44.587-04:00This is part two. I hope I remember where I left o...This is part two. I hope I remember where I left off....<br /><br />Hopefully the silver lining offered by Sharon Stone will not fade and the closeness and strength of our community will grow. It would in the least be a fitting tribute to Lisa.<br />It’s very interesting to read about how she chose her name. Most fitting indeed. That gives me pause to add an aside of my own.<br /><br />I have remarked in several places that Lisa’s essence and energy is still around and will last forever and touch us when we least expect it.<br /><br />So even before we met Lisa had written me asking where my name came from. My name (Reena) has been with me for decades and its origin is well perhaps shady or a bit less than honorable. I recall writing back telling her that if we were at a noisy bar and shared a few drinks I would tell her, hoping that the noise would make hearing difficult and unclear or the drinks would cause her not to remember or care. Well on my first venture out a few days after her wake I was at a crowded bar talking with someone I had a nodding acquaintance with. After some initial talk the person asked me about my name and where I got it. Stopped me in my tracks ….POW! It was like Lisa’s spirit had flown through the room and was asking for the answer I never had a chance to give her.<br /><br />I tell you we will never be rid of that girl! And isn’t that a delight.<br /><br />There are so many things I wanted to say to her and never had the chance. Sometimes I feel like writing paragraphs and paragraphs on her page just hoping she might ….. well read, hear, listen, understand a bit of what I’d like to tell and ask her. Maybe I will. It’s just still too tender of a time for me. <br />I had read and replied to many of her notes, post, and comments on Facebook but must have missed the one you share here.<br /> <br />Is it not reflective of many of our own thoughts and also telling of what struggles and burdens she dealt with under a contrasting and delightful exterior in her search for true happiness and self realization. <br /><br />She is not only an Angel on Earth; she is an Angel of the Universe and will be there always through our tears and smiles to inspire us and bring us joy. <br /><br />Sincerely,<br />Reena<br />Reena Phillipshttps://www.facebook.com/reena.phillips.96noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2242321492229602144.post-72787706127826750882013-10-08T15:23:22.659-04:002013-10-08T15:23:22.659-04:00Hmmm. I got this message (Your HTML cannot be acce...Hmmm. I got this message (Your HTML cannot be accepted: Must be at most 4,096 characters) when I tried to reply so I will break my response into two sections.<br /><br />Sophie,<br /> <br />Thank you so much for sharing this. I put off reading this since as hard as this may have been for you to write it was equally as hard for me to read. It’s like you are telling the last chapter of Lisa’s life; perhaps not reading it meant she wasn’t really gone.<br /><br />I never knew Lisa as well as you did. I met her perhaps half a dozen times all of them too brief but we shared some emails exchanging ideas and thoughts. We always wanted to spend more time together but it never worked out. She was as brilliant as she was beautiful. Our conversations were always energetic and sometimes sparked with controversy and constantly sprinkled with humor. It was hard to see what was lurking deep down in her soul even when we touched on issues that were problematic and similar in our own marital relationships. Her friendliness, happiness and joy were contagious and they were so easy to focus on. <br /><br />You must feel a great void in your life that can never be put into words. You must be wrestling with the grief even as you recall all the happy moments you shared with her. Those feelings will go on and on; and the grief will come and go but you will know her as your friend forever.<br /> <br />It is good to grieve. Never let anyone tell you to move on or get over it. Whatever time it takes is how it will be. You are entitled to your feelings and you know Lisa will pop things into your head to put a smile on your face.<br /><br />It is hard to read the account of how she ended her stay on this earth. She must have felt so lonely and sad. I doubt if she were the smiling happy Lisa we all knew as the fears, doubts, and pain reached up to cause her to do this. Her suffering must have been intense and as I think and write I am overcome with sadness and woe (and tears) picturing her there all alone helpless to stop herself. Often we are so beset by our own problems and worries that we fail to look closely and see those of people around us. My heart breaks as do so many others wishing there was something we could have done to ease her pain and prevent her demise.<br /><br />Hopefully the silver lining offered by Sharon Stone will not fade and the closeness and strength of our community will grow. It would in the least be a fitting tribute to Lisa.<br /><br />Reena Phillipshttps://www.facebook.com/reena.phillips.96noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2242321492229602144.post-17191277126453088342013-09-28T14:46:27.692-04:002013-09-28T14:46:27.692-04:00Thank you Sophie for writting this. I love you sis...Thank you Sophie for writting this. I love you sister and though I did not always agree with Lisa I also loved her and she was a VERY special woman and person,. I still can not believe she is gone. I am crying so much typing thhis the keyboard is wet. Have to go but Thankyouand remember I AM YOUR FRIEND! Still rememebr the first walk to the "bank Cash Machine" <br />Suzane Olivanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2242321492229602144.post-83401239807916969632013-09-28T11:25:33.355-04:002013-09-28T11:25:33.355-04:00Actually, most of her family were amazingly suppor...Actually, most of her family were amazingly supportive. i point to the affirmation party and to Kristie's heartfelt defense of her at the viewing. Of course there were some that may have objected, but that's life. Lisa couldn't have asked for a more supportive wife and family. And the Community couldn't ask for better allies.Sophie Lynnehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04333071551207169892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2242321492229602144.post-516654472937602013-09-28T09:24:26.629-04:002013-09-28T09:24:26.629-04:00Thank you again, for sharing the experience of lov...Thank you again, for sharing the experience of love and loss of our beautiful friend! The phases of grief will do it's thing, as you look back on our sweet sister...and I wish you strength and resolve in this difficult time. Lisa would want the very best for all of us! Truthfully, I don't understand it all..and wished in those last moments before she ended her life, that I could have done SOMETHING to stop this well planned execution of a disaster, that would tear a piece of our own hearts from our chest. Love you, Sophie girl...joy and much peace to you.Allyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12525414397319662408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2242321492229602144.post-27809309210211438202013-09-28T06:22:03.082-04:002013-09-28T06:22:03.082-04:00I think the way her family treated her end probabl...I think the way her family treated her end probably shows why she is no longer with you. This is not the first time one of us has been treated with such disrespect at the end of our time in this life and it never ceases to sicken me.<br /><br />For so long I thought I would die by my own hand to stop the pain but all my plans included utter destruction of mortal remains to ensure that no such final humiliation could take place.<br /><br />When the final choice came I chose life and it has turned out sweeter than I could ever have imagined as I hope it does for you too.Carolinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02133031265351841626noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2242321492229602144.post-13522428433988391982013-09-27T19:37:27.641-04:002013-09-27T19:37:27.641-04:00Beautiful Sophie. I will admit, that was very hard...Beautiful Sophie. I will admit, that was very hard to read and I went over every last word very slow when you described her last hours. It made me start to get dizzy and afraid. I don't want to die. It's too scary. I want to live. She took a piece of us all with her. Amanda Nicolehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11737560539435491538noreply@blogger.com