Kathryn Baverstock AKA Northwind

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paradox3 said:
Yes it all feels very abrupt to me. But I think Northwind probably said her goodbyes in the way that was right for her.

She shared a few additional details with us at the end of last week. I believe she was reassured we were here for her if she needed us.
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True. I just didn't interpret the details in a way to be ready. Yesterday blindsided me.

My thoughts extend to her husband and her doggo. I don't have words. Just thoughts about how much this sucks for them and their family.

Kathryn and I became much closer over the past few years. She was instrumental in helping me with my problems on this site, and was an advocate in a way that I can only try to be for others. She made me feel that I wasn't crazy. She joined Crux before it was popular, though granted, it was never terribly popular. We had conversations that extended into the night. She had endless compassion and understanding, and an ability to stand up for the things and people she believed in regardless of how others felt. She had a complex wit about her that made making her laugh a reward because she didn't laugh at just anything. If she enjoyed what you wrote, it must have been pretty good.

I recall when she bristled at the cancer "battle" metaphors, well-intentioned as they were. She wrote about it in such a way that it took me back to Sick Kids and Bloorwood, how you approach every day not as a battle but as a series of things you just do. She described her experience in a way that others could relate and reflect on how they would treat others differently going forward.

I regret that I never met her when she swung through Ontario. I recall I had something with my family, and figured we'd connect next time. That was a mistake. I should have abandoned my family.
 
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chansen said:
I just didn't interpret the details in a way to be ready. Yesterday blindsided me.
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Likewise. Maybe there was writing on the wall that I missed, but I certainly thought we would still be in waiting and watching mode for a while yet.
chansen said:
I recall when she bristled at the cancer "battle" metaphors, well-intentioned as they were.
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Yeah, her influence shows in how I try to avoid this metaphor nowadays, find other words. Probably still use it at times because it's kind of engrained in our society but I am more conscious of it. She did a lot of good here with her advocacy and teaching. Her cancer blog will, of course, remain up barring a request from the family to remove it, but I do not really see that happening. Worth another read through, I think.
 
I met Kathryn several years ago with a “wonder group” at a restaurant. She’d just done the “run for the cure”, which was why she and her hubby were in town - having beat cancer the first time around. At least for a while. Such a cruel irony. I see her avatar/ dog’s photo on several threads and feel like she’s still here. She is. But she’s probably glad to have a break from us! Rest in Peace Northwind.
 
Others’ passings hit me too. Crazyheart for sure - but this was more unexpected somehow. Kathryn’s personality was so determined, she didn’t show any fear (I didn’t see it if she did) - she was strong enough to be present and tenacious and there for others even as she went through her own struggles - it felt like she’d push through and beat f***ing cancer for a while yet.
 
Hey friends, it's been a long time, and of course, it's regretful it took Northwind's passing to reconnect me today. Seeing Crazyheart's name and Seeler and Panentheist, and Qwerty too... some good memories there.

Thanks Jayne for the chance to get together last summer. I LOVE that WC is still safe home for all of you, and admittedly, it feels familiar for me too even after a long time. I've still got my mugs too :)
 
Aw Seeler, too. I didn’t know Qwerty and Panentheist too well but I remember them. Remembering people who’ve passed on. It’s a rainy melancholy day. I’m glad to see some old familiar “faces” here.
 
Northwind cared about health and social policy happening in BC too - almost everybody still hanging out here is from back east. It was good to have somebody who understood even though we didn’t always agree.

I regret we didn’t meet up for coffee in recent months/ years she was out here. We brought it up but it never happened. I felt like she was close by and I could picture the places she talked about - and have been to the places where her campsites were. Almost like we were neighbours. In a WC2 context we were.

I feel her absence, and miss her.

Can we do a Wonder Memorial for her and others who’ve passed on, in this season? A sort of “Blue Christmas”? I guess this thread is it. I’m thinking of something more…I don’t know…something creative.
 
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