Goodbye My Friend....

Today I received a phone call from one of my friends in San Diego. She was calling to tell me that another friend of mine had died this morning. I was shocked and deeply saddened...especially since my friend, Somber, was only 34! She has had health problems since I've known her (which is just shy of 10 years) and I wouldn't have been shocked to hear that she was ill or even in the hospital. But to hear that she had passed away was just a complete shock for me. She was always such a larger than life personality and she certainly lived her life the way she felt she should. She was a Supersized BBW and she really and truly cared about fat acceptance. She wanted people to be happy (no matter their size) and embrace the fact that you can live your life and not be a stick or a Barbie! She was adamently opposed to weight loss surgery and NEVER afraid to share her opinion with anyone who was considering having the surgery!! Her outspoken and opinionated self was not always easy to take and there were many who turned away from her as a friend but in all honesty, I found that all she really wanted was acceptance and love and I was happy to give those things to her. I did not always agree with everything she had to say but I did respect her right to have an opinion different from my own. I loved the fact that she always had laughter in her soul and you just had to tap into the joyous being that she was. When I first met Somber, she had a lot more mobility than she had recently but it never stopped her from embracing life and enjoying it! Imagine seeing a 400+ pound woman body surfing in the ocean!!! Most people would be afraid but not Somber! She was always ready to push the envelope and try something new. From being a meat-eating vegetarian (don't ask) to hosting coffee events to starting her own little farm in her back yard...nothing stopped Somber from adding joy to her life and trying to share it with others. When we moved to Colorado, Somber spent a week at our house helping us get ready. She helped pack and clean. She helped me with our yard sale. She brought us food and drinks. She helped field phone calls and helped organize our traveling stuff. She was a true godsend and we would not have been able to leave on time without her help! When we returned to San Diego last Thanksgiving, Somber got our friends together at Starbucks so we could all visit! It was fabulous!!

Somber was a true friend over the years and I will miss her. I am sorry that I didn't get a chance to talk to her before she left but I know that she is up there smiling down and laughing at all of the memories we shared. Rest in Peace my beautiful friend! You will be well and truly missed.