This is just a very short post in memory of my former colleague and friend, Marion Kelt.
Sadly, and very suddenly Marion passed away last month. I’m not going to attempt to write a eulogy for Marion. I couldn’t do her justice. Also, as one of many colleagues who attended her funeral on Friday, I think all the right words were found and shared by her family and friends there. Words that made us smile, laugh and through some tears, remember the fantastic, frantic, fun, music loving person Marion was.
Over the past year or so I have written quite a bit about the increased need for critically informed hope and love, and the value of academic kindness. To me Marion was the embodiment of all these things. Marion was always willing use her expertise and enthusiasm to share and help and students and staff alike. She didn’t do anything for personal glory, only to help others. She was one of the most self effacing people I have ever had the privilege to work with. Doing something with Marion was always fun, and you always learnt something new and often totally unrelated along the way.
If you ever saw Marion present at a conference, then you will have something of an idea of what I mean. Her conference presentations were always funny, honest, sincere and with a purpose – just like Marion.
I’m going to end with some of the words that had meaning for Marion, ones which she shared on social media, and were shared in the order of service on Friday. Then I’m going to make myself a cup of tea and start the week with a smile and hope.
“none of us are getting out of here alive, so please stop treating yourself like an afterthought. Eat the delicious food. Walk in the sunshine. Jump in the ocean. Say the truth that you’re carrying in your heart like hidden treasure. Be silly. Be kind. Be weird. There is no time for anything else.” (Anthony Hopkins)
“What is important is not so much how long you live as whether you live a meaningful life. This doesn’t mean accumulating money and fame, but being of services to your fellow human beings. It means helping other if you can, but even if you can’t do that, at least not harming them.” (Dalai Lama)
And just for Marion here is a picture of a cat.
