There are many people in my friend Kim's life but few who know who she is, what she is made of, how God built her. With all the people who crossed paths with Kim in her life, she kept her bubble small. She allowed very few people to enter her bubble of safety, her world, her mind, her heart and her soul. There are many people who labeled Kim very quickly, too quickly, mostly because she called them out on their lack of respect and honestly to those inside her bubble. I could name names but you know if you fall in that group of individuals, and to your surprise, most everyone else knows as well.
I think we can all agree that Kim is tough, hard-nosed, honest and never backs down from a conversation when she knows she is right. Kim works with facts, black and white, no room for gray. If she was wrong, which was rare, she apologized and moved on. Kim knows what those around her are capable of and she fights with them and for them so they can reach their potential. Kim always wants the best you have to offer, not for herself, but for yourself. Kim expects the best from everyone and never expected more than you are capable of giving. Because of this, Kim helped make everyone she met a better person, a more confident person. If you know Kim and you are not a better person for it, you are one of those who judged her, before you got to know her.
If you personally know Kim, think about your relationship with her. I know of only one person in her bubble, outside her family, who does not fit the description of how Kim effected their lives. Kim is co-dependent, since I have known her she has taken on those she felt needed her help. Those that she could make a positive impact on. They needed her, and she needed them to need her. I am one of them. Like me, many of the people in Kim's life needed someone to let them know its ok, that things will be alright. She has helped many realize their self worth. She took control over our lives and taught us how to not live in fear. She showed us we are ok, that we will make it through the trails and tribulations of life and she would stay with us until we reached a better place inside our minds, our hearts, and in my case my soul.
Kim never asked for anything in return outside of honestly, forgiveness, trust, and love. She asked only that you were honest with her about everything, trusted her friendship, loved her unconditionally and forgave yourself for what you did not like about yourself. If she wronged you, which was rare, she asked you to forgive her for not being a better friend, even though to many of us she was the best friend we would ever have. As you came into her life, whether you stayed or left, she never gave up on you. I hope you know that. If you were one of those who judged her to quickly, you should know that she never gave up on you either.
Kim is far from perfect, although she is closer to perfection than most of us. She would be the first one to tell you she should have been a better wife, a better mother, a better sister, a better daughter and a better friend. But the truth of the matter is, she is a work in progress, a product of God. In my opinion, Kim earned her wings way before 21 months ago when God decided he needed her with him. It doesn't seem fair, but its not about a fair playing field down on earth, its about faith, and heaven, and God, and eternity.
I am going to miss Kim, hell, I already do. I have to remember that we crossed paths for a reason and a lot of lives are better now just from the path Kim and I crossed. Our journey in the last 10 years, from its infancy to now, was paved with goodwill, support, trust, and love. I will forever be in her debt, but I will never stop collecting from what she has taught me and how she made me feel.
The greatest gift of all is the gift of life. God gifted many of us with the life of Kimberly Jean Lindgren. I once asked Kim "what would I do without you" and her response was this ...
"Sweets, we are born to die and there's not a damn thing we can do about it."
"I know Dottie, I know."
