suze

Because life is too short.

I just visited my other BB, the Thorn Tree, and read the extremely sad news that one of the most active and helpful posters on the Mexico Branch (Katydid) died unexpectedly.

The post was written by a friend at Katy's prior instruction; that person didn't understand her intense relationship with so many 'strangers' on the internet but honored her request to make that last posting under her name.

Scarlett

ms Katydid posted on Fodors also.
I am very sorry to hear this sad news.

elaine

suze, it's a very noble and worthy sentiment, but unfortunately, it doesn't last.
Remember the week or two of universal good will in the USA after 9/11? The stress and behaviors of everyday life just inevitably kick in, people have short memories.
I made a cheesecake for a special occasion tomorrow, took me a couple of hours, and 15 minutes ago I took it out of the oven. It was gorgeous. As I was removing the aluminum foil that I had wrapped around the outside of the pan, the pan slipped from my grasp and tumbled into the sink. What I had left was a hot cheesy mess. I used a couple of choice words, sighed,and cleaned up.
I actually said out loud, "well, it's not as bad as going through the tsunami."
That shut me up.

Intrepid1

I appreciate your concerns but "squabble" is as subjecttive as a lot of other "facts" posted here.

The behaviors run the gamut from outright food fights to the most embarrassing sucking up one could imagine.

Despite all of that it remains, IMO, a great place to get real, valid information and insight.

sera

Elaine: I totally agree with you. And remember how our culture was going to become more thoughtful and less frivolous after 9/11. Well, two words: American Idol.

starrsville

How sad. I just read the condolence posts. I do hope the family reads them. She must have been a very sweet spirit. They were part of her friend/family network and it shows. I'd miss so many Fodorites as well.

degas

"Because life is too short"

I am reminded of that sad fact almost every day.

Be happy, have fun and drop all the petty jealousy, resentment and pompous hot air.

Marianna

Degas, if only we could all live by your words. Best wishes to you and thank you for all your humor.

Marilyn

I attended a high school reunion last year, and we were asked to state the Important Lessons we had learned (corny, I know). One of my classmates, however, really stopped me cold with her statement:

<i>&quot;The most important truth of all is that humans are fragile and life much too short, and that most of us forget to live as if we were aware of this.&quot;</i>

Sue_xx_yy

Alas, people sometimes squabble precisely because of an overly acute awareness of the scarcity of time. Rushing for a parking space, rushing to get the light before it turns red, rushing past the speed limit, rushing to get to the museum before it closes, rushing to compose a response when we should have chilled out....all with the intention of getting the most out of our too-short lives, and all too often getting exactly the opposite result.

We are human and fallible. Our temperaments are as cheesecakes; sometimes we behave perfectly, most of the time we're simply just more or less okay, and sometimes we wind up, so to speak, in the sink. All we can do is try to pick up and start again. (Elaine, I hope you at least saved the crumbs....)

elaine

Sue, the results weren't presentable to anyone but me, but for dessert this evening I had a lovely cheesecake parfait.

degas

A fine cherry or strawberry cheesecake is a terrible thing to waste - invoke the rare FIVE MINUTE rule if one ever hits the floor!

LoveItaly

Life is too short. And the older I get the more I realize it. And consequently want to enjoy every moment, whether it is the morning coffee, the bird singing in the tree across from my deck, the conversation with someone at the supermarket that is looking for a particular item because family is coming for dinner etc.

And becoming closer to people that I have not known in the past. I have had the experience of always having friends around that I knew from the time I was a youngster. And friends that I have had from the time I was a young adult. And so never made an effort to make new friends unless they made a big effort. The negative part of always living in the same area.

Fodors has changed that for me. I realize that I lived in too tight of a circle. Something I never thought about until the last year of so. Now I have friends that I do not count in the number of years that I have known them but friends I can count as having a lot in common with, in more ways then one.

It has been quite a growing and educational experience for me the past couple of years since I have been on Fodor's. I feel sort of guilty in a way because as much as I love my friends from decades ago I find that I have relationships with some here on Fodors that allow me to be &quot;more myself&quot; then I have been with lifetime friends. So I have learned that it is not just the decades you have known a person, it is if you have a meeting of the heart, mind and soul.

I did not know Katydid. But how very special that she wanted to communicate her final message to those she met online. I think that these people were not strangers, but friends of the heart.

elaine

that was lovely, thank you

tondalaya

As your friend said on another post.
&quot;All time spent angry,
Is time lost being happy.&quot;
To the OP of the quote,
nice to know the Mexican quotes are
being read.