Goodbye, dear friend.

Life is too short.  I found out this week from former med school classmate that a friend of ours had been killed in a car accident.  Jessica (back row, far right) was a neurosurgery resident and this is such a huge loss for her family, husband (who was also in our med school class), friends and coworkers. I cannot even begin to express my sorrow over her death.  

This is what I know and remember.

• Jessica was the first person I ever met with truly perfect pitch.  Which I still think is freaky.
• She was the musical director of our med school acapella group and did all of our arrangements.  Even though she was a good 8 inches shorter than me and I outweighed her by at least 30 pounds, she intimidated the bejeebers out of me sometimes. 
• Jessica played the violin beautifully.
• She had a quiet intensity.
• Jessica was a connoisseur of port wines (or was it scotch?) when everyone else in our class was still drinking Beast Light.
• Jessica was one of the smallest people in our class and was roommates with one of the tallest people in our class.  I still find it funny.
• Jessica was smart.  I mean, come on, she was a brain surgeon!
• Jessica was generous. The picture above is from when a few members of our acapella group flew to San Francisco, Jess's hometown, to sing at a pediatric conference.  Six of us stayed with her parents in their lovely home and they took us out for dim sum while we were there. We are sitting on the steps in her parents' living room.  A fond memory and an awesome trip.

The first song we sang in our acapella group was "Seasons of Love" from the musical, Rent.  Without getting too corny, here are the lyrics.

Seasons of Love

525,600 minutes, 525,000 moments so dear. 

525,600 minutes - how do you measure, measure a year? 

In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee. 

In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife. 

In 525,600 minutes - how do you measure a year in the life?
How about love? How about love? How about love? 

Measure in love. Seasons of love.

SOLOIST 1
525,600 minutes, 525,000 journeys to plan. 

525,600 minutes - how do you measure the life of a woman or man?

SOLOIST 2
In truths that she learned, or in times that he cried. 

In bridges he burned, or the way that she died.

COMPANY
It’s time now to sing out, though the story never ends 

Let's celebrate remember a year in the life of a friend. 

Remember the love! 

(Soloist 3: Oh, you've got to, you've got to remember the love) 

Remember the love!

(You know that love is the gift from up above)

Remember the love!

(Share love, give love, ohh) 

Measure in love.

(Measure, measure your life in love)

 Seasons of love! Seasons of love.

The Latin choral song that Jess made us sing to warm up with before performances reminds me of the one thing that I can cling to in a time like this.

Jubilate Deo, Jubilate Deo, Alleluia.

Jess, my heart is broken over this tragedy.  

You will truly be missed and my prayers go to your husband and family.