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I've been thinking a lot about memorials this week. I’ve been thinking about people who are aren't coming back, but who remain seared so permanently in memory it's as if you put your hand to the cast iron skillet of that moment shared with them.
I'm thinking about good people who disappear too soon, who do so much for so many people that, when they slip away from the dinner table and don't return, everyone notices.
Last week, the food and writing world lost Kim Ricketts, who was, by all accounts, one of those people. She left far too soon -- she was only 53 -- and there were clearly courses yet to be served. From what her friends have written in her memory, she would have probably wanted to have a hand in making those courses, all the while, leading a lively conversation.
Shauna Ahern of Gluten-Free Girl and The Chef wrote about Kim’s love of words, of her friends, and, of course, of food:
Kim loved food. After all, her events were centered around food. But she was nothing like a food snob. Instead, she liked the gathering, the feast, the conversation. She was just jazzed to be around smart, passionate people coming up with ideas while eating. I’m pretty sure that Kim was happiest in the world when she was in the kitchen, apron on, making a roast chicken or a salad from lettuces she had grown in her garden, cooking dinner for her family.
On April 26, the day after Kim died, Rocky Yeh of NW Vivant recalled meeting her 12 years earlier:
...she was hosting a dinner and book signing where I would first meet one of the culinary writing heroes of my until then young life. On that night I also got to really meet many people whom I will consider lifelong friends. This was the power of Kim and her gift to us all. She brought people together, gave them to them the opportunity to expand their worlds and to learn something new, rub shoulders with those we held in high esteem, and made communities of people who might never have met in person.
A celebration of Kim Rickett's life will be held tomorrow at 3pm at St. Mark's Cathedral, 1245 10th Avenue East, Seattle, WA. But based on what I’ve read about her since her death, it sounds like there is one clear way anyone, even those who aren’t in Seattle, can honor her. As Frank Guanco of Going For Seconds wrote in his memorial post,
Ultimately, I'm thankful of the time that I spent with Kim and to be a small part of her story. It still continues by carrying on her legacy. We can start by having dinner and a conversation with friends.
I am certain my life is a little less rich for not knowing Kim. But I toast her memory, and celebrate the life of someone so intent on drawing and strengthening connections between people, between hearts, between words, and between meals.
Genie blogs about gardening and food at The Inadvertent Gardener, and tells very short tales at 100 Proof Stories.
Image Credit: Looking Glass on Flickr, shared under a Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0) license
