For Inge

Inge was my officemate for the first 4 years of my career in public accounting. I spent more time with her than any other person in my life for those 4 years. She experienced some sort of medical issue that caused brain damage when she was 51 years old. She was in a coma for nearly a month and she never fully recovered. I missed her dearly.

I used to visit her once every few weeks while she was in nursing care, but when her family took her home, I stopped visiting as I did not want to intrude. I still missed her and thought about her, but I didn't show that to Inge anymore. Inge died Sunday. My chances to show I care, are now gone, except to go to the visitation. I should have done more.

Inge was a wife to a self-employed man battling kidney disease. She was a mom of five children. She was a CPA. She was a sister, daughter, aunt and friend. Inge was fun and witty. Her sarcasm never failed to entertain me. She made working long hours more bearable. She showed me that you can have a family and still have a meaningful, fulfilling career in the world of public accounting. Through what happened to her, I learned to savor things more and enjoy what you have, because you never know when life as you know it might change in an instant.

I found in reading her obituary, that she had become a grandmother. I wonder if she knew that - if she got to hold her firstborn's child. I hope so. She would have been so proud.

Godspeed Inge. I'll miss you.