Hello.

Right now I wish I could be standing here, reading this to you all…but I am halfway across the world, where the sun is setting and I am sitting, saying a prayer, thinking of all of you.

My name is Meghan. I have had the privilege to meet many of you, and for those of you I haven’t had been able to cross paths with, one day I hope I get that chance. Because, we are all here today for Sarah. Which means, she had an impact on each of us. We each had an impact on her. And therefore we all share a connection…an understanding…of Sarah…and what an incredible and beautiful person she was…

It was a little over a year ago, I was lounging on the couch with Sarah, enjoying a glass of red wine, as Joey and Tim talked about the newly installed mantel that Joey had put up and how the furniture was going to be arranged in the room. It was the last time I saw Sarah. Right before I left I gave her a huge hug, kissed her on the cheek. We said, “We will write. Lots. Send pictures. I love you. And I’ll see you when I am back from this Australian adventure.”

Rather than write a long novel about one of the most amazing, talented, beautiful, tall, sophisticated, silly people I have ever met…I’ll share a few things I love about Sarah and who she was to me.

When I first met her I knew she was a perfectionist, someone who had guts to be surrounded by the toughest 24×7 in a hot and stressful kitchen environment and had grit. She cared…for all people. I loved all these things about her. She told it like it is, never considered herself inferior to anyone and stood up to all.

Coffee, with Fat Free Coffeemate…every morning…a must. She loved sushi. But hated canned tuna. And to this day I rarely eat canned tuna because of her and the lecture I would hear, but when I do, I always think of her.

One of her favorite meals at home was making pizza with Joey, usualy one white and one red…she loved it because it was a meal they could make together. And oh yeah, if she wasn’t a perfectionist, she would have eaten pizza everyday…but that isn’t on the ‘stay fit’ regime for Sarah.

Walks was how she cleared her head. Together we walked a fair number of miles on Boulder Creek Trail. Learning about each other, sharing smiles, living life. Some of my favorite times.

Well traveled, she always had a story to share, a way to shed light on any situation. Basically her presence in a room lit it up. And although she had her moments, and trust me you knew when they were (!), the funny thing is we always had a great laugh afterwards…

Sarah is someone who never looked at me as 7 years younger…and because of that, I was blessed to have a best friendship with a woman, a human, who taught me that life is here to be lived to the fullest…no regrets. No looking back. She knew when to pour a glass of wine for me and when I should start drinking water. She knew me inside and out because she allowed me to know her fully and completely. I owe a lot to her and who she has made me become today. Without her I might have continued to grow up too fast and not stopped to enjoy the simple and fun things life presents you.

In her last email she wrote, telling me of her adventures in February, how work was going, Joey, she said to me at the end…”Having you gone has been sad and tough but knowing you are having an incredible time is the best wish a girl could hope for. I am planning on trying to find a guy for you in Colorado when you get back so you never leave again. LOL. Miss you lots.”

Sarah, realizing you are gone, that I will not be able to share a glass of wine with you again…when I come home…share my stories of adventure and hear yours while we sit on the Med patio and laugh…well, babe, the healing journey has just begun.

But knowing that you were doing something you loved when your heart stopped, and that you never felt it, well…I’m glad…I’m glad Sarah…’cause you never deserved to suffer…

You gave away so much love to everyone you crossed paths with…and I truly believe that if we can all love people half as much as I was loved by you, we would all be on the right path…

Your footprints, smile and East Coast accent are embedded in my heart forever…

I love you. I wish I could have had one last glass of wine with you…

But I know…we will get our chance one day.

Love you.