Malinda Lo

Yesterday, L.K. Madigan, author of Flash Burnout and The Mermaid’s Mirror, passed away.

I knew Lisa through the Debs, and I got to know her better when both of our debut novels became finalists for the William C. Morris Award. Last June, when we were both in Washington D.C. for ALA, I met up with Lisa for breakfast one morning right after she went on a 7 a.m. tour of the White House. I remember she was elated by the visit. She was so proud to have visited the White House during the Obama Administration; she was so proud to have voted for Obama.

The one thing that really struck me from all my interactions with Lisa was that she was resolved in her beliefs, and her beliefs, in my opinion, were right on. She had her heart and her mind in the right place, and she was not afraid to express her opinion. At the same time, her beliefs were rooted in compassion. That’s something that really impressed me.

In the last week, I’ve been affected by the deaths of three people, including Lisa. One of my best friends suffered the death of his best friend. And another YA author, Perry Moore, also died recently. I did not know my friend’s best friend or Perry Moore, but with Lisa’s death coming on their heels, it made me really stop in my tracks.

Stop.

Life is short. So many things in the world can seem unfair and wrong. But each of us has an opportunity to make things right, and to live in this world with compassion. I am grateful for the reminder.

Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am in a thousand winds that blow,
I am the softly falling snow.
I am the gentle showers of rain,
I am the fields of ripening grain.
I am in the morning hush,
I am in the graceful rush
Of beautiful birds in circling flight,
I am the starshine of the night.
I am in the flowers that bloom,
I am in a quiet room.
I am in the birds that sing,
I am in each lovely thing.
Do not stand at my grave bereft
I am not there. I have not left.

— Mary Elizabeth Frye