At a table next to the center aisle, in the very front row, there is a chair in which no one is sitting. A sparkly black scarf decorates the back of this chair. There is a black coffee cup holding black pens, blue ones, colored ones, and some colored pencils, too. There are two large Moleskine sketchbooks, a matched pair. And last but not least, there is a color photo, thanks to navajo, of Kris Froland (exmearden).
Two years ago in November or so, I signed onto Bidding For Good as Anne OnniMaus to bid on the Netroots Nation auction. I had finally gotten my first disability check and was feeling somewhat reckless, so I bid on an item that hadn't been offered before: a table at the front of the house for the keynotes, and after fierce bidding, I won. I had bid on it for several reasons, and to treat several people, one of whom was Kris. In emails and Daily Kos comments, I urged (OK, I begged) her to come, saying I knew where she was going to sit. Sure enough, she made it to NN10, only days before she was to have critical surgery. But that was Kris: she grabbed life with both hands and took big bites.
In November of 2010, having already registered for NN11, I bid again on the front table, and again I won. Again, I hoped to help Kris find a great seat by making sure there was one reserved for her at the front table again. But life doesn't always turn out the way I plan it, and life happened.
Kris' passing left this community grieving, us certainly among those who missed her gteatly. Some of our other family members, two little bitty dogs, continue to remember and miss their human. And then there are her daughters, three beautiful, confident, talented and courageous young women who reflect their mother splendidly. We thought of them, and then Charles and I knew what we had to do.
So we planned to reserve that chair at our table for Kris. We bought the remembrance books, the scarf, the pens and pencils, the cup. Navajo, with whom we'd talked about this, got a photo she had stored printed at 8 1/2 x 11, and bought a tabletop clear stand-up frame to hold it. This evening, everything came together.
I had told Kris that there would be a place for her at the front table again, and there is. And there is. And you, if you are reading this and are at Netroots Nation or commenting in this diary, can help to make sure she is there; come down to the front, to the table on the left side of the center aisle, and sit in her chair. Look at her lovely smiling face in Navajo's picture, and think of her. Then open one of the two remembrance books and put those thoughts to paper in a way you choose. Create art. Write a story. Let a memory live. Sign your name. Share descriptions of actions, activism, or anything else to which Kris inspired you. Help keep her memory green. By your presence and your awareness and remembrance, you bring her spirit's essence to Netroots Nation this year, and in remembrance-book form, share that energetic presence with her daughters. It is to them that we will give the remembrance books after the conference is over.
During the times when keynotes are not going on, Charles or I will have all the supplies; your inspiration need not wait until keynote sessions to take wing. Find one of us, and you find a chance to share something special with Kris' children.
There is a chair decorated with a sparkly black scarf at a table at the front of every keynote session. Maybe it's empty. Maybe it's not. I hope you will help bring Kris' energy and your own together there.