I’ve tried a thousand times to make some words happen this morning, but everything I want to say sounds hollow and wrong. I thought about blogging about nothing in particular, but that felt disrespectful in a dozen different ways. In the end, my words are as self-serving as always – I’m trying to make myself feel better, the only way I know how.

The universe is a little less awesome today – last night, Derek K. Miller lost his battle with cancer. Derek was widely loved throughout the entire Vancouver online scene – everyone I know either knew or knew of Derek and had nothing but glowing things to say about him. He was, in all possible ways, a good egg: funny, talented, inspiring. To say that he will be missed is a vast understatement: Derek brought so much to everything he did. It was incredible to watch the energy around him and see how he could make a huge impact just by being present – he was truly respected, and I wish – especially for Airdrie and his two daughters, from whom he was taken entirely too soon – that we all had more time with him to learn how to live and love as selflessly as he did.

I am in awe at the grace and dignity that Derek and Airdrie both showed throughout his entire illness. I can only hope that when it is my time to go, I can do so with even a tenth of the strength they had.

If you haven’t read Derek’s last blog post, I implore you to do so.

We love and miss you, Derek.