'Elizabeth' by Richard McNeill

Richard gave his permission for us to post his words on hearing of Elizabeth passing away:

I'm so sorry to hear the news. My heart goes out to Cam and all of us, and to all who knew her.
I can't be here to be with all who knew her, and to celebrate her life as she would want us to, and I will miss her keenly - we all will.

There's nothing I can say in a considered way, except to echo what everyone else will already know - that she made a statement with everything she was to us, that reminded us of the better things, the hopeful things, the brighter things of life, and that this is a terrible, tragic irony.
I intend to remember Elizabeth as a person who gave us all a greater appreciation of life and fun, and I do hope that what I have written below does not seem stilted and self-conscious -

I thought at the time … "who is that woman with the Nemo bag?"

As a tangle of unfamiliar colour blazed up with endearing directness,

Raised a viola and, with us all, played an anthem to our own common purpose – to our own common creation,

Dropping the world away from us – to play, enjoy, consider, love the best in us all.

Who was it, courage and directness – effrontery with humour, gall with glitter,

A Hawaiian sunset in misty, gritty, drizzly Newport, setting us all afire;

Coaxing dormant embers into life – with a smile, a laugh, a Nemo bag?



"Elemental" seems too vague a word,

Like "inspiration" or "unforgettable",

In the telling made too trite – music perhaps says more.

"Zebra Fish!" suits better, an endearingly absurd word,

And more fitting – no words, just a

Bag – no words, just a resolve;

Everything combined to be – herself.

That words fall short can only be expected …

Her laugh, her courage, her presence … her.