Kossack Julie Waters passed away last weekend, but I didn't find out until late Sunday when I checked in here for the latest news. My life has been really hectic lately what with winding down my work year, family and a slew of other projects. Being as time challenged as I usually am and using my time to be focused on issues I don't often have time to truly get to know and appreciate the many who come to this great site to make a difference. With our unique areas of focus all of us here want to make a better future and to lighten the load of the most vulnerable and oppressed.
I had more contact with Julie than with most others because Julie was a semi-regular at my series Macca's Meatless Monday. In fact, I see that Julie's last diary rec here was at Meatless Monday 4/2/2012.
There have been other diaries written about Julie to celebrate her intellectual and artistic gifts. But I wanted to write this diary in the hope that perhaps her family or friends would find some comfort in knowing how Julie positively impacted with her kindness.
My first encounter with Julie's kindness was when we had the switch over to DK4. I was having immense issues with trying to post my Meatless Monday diary and sent out an SOS to the dkgreenroots group. Julie responded and said that she was able to post and would be happy to post my diary for me. Here is the result of her kindness; a brief but nevertheless present Monday diary.
Another instance in which Julie's kindness had very direct influence in whether I would even continue participating here occurred after a character attack directed at me had me lash out in uncharacteristic harsh words. I received many messages of support but one kosmail from Julie made me see the light. Julie's message(short form): please accept in the spirit of friendship that you are angry and are writing out of that anger. Read over what you have written objectively and you will edit. First thing I thought was wow Julie considered me a friend! And then I did read objectively and edited as necessary. I will never forgot Julie's kindness to me at that time.
So I know this is short and I'm not very good at this sort of thing but I wanted to say that Julies was a life well lived. I think in her short life she accomplished what many of us aspire to do; to make a positive difference.
RIP Julie