Sad news this morning:

I received such heart breaking news this morning. A young, beautiful, vibrant, funny, talented and special lady whom I used to work with at my previous company, had passed away.

She had meticulously planned for it, leaving a letter for her parents, booked herself into a hotel on Monday morning and taken an overdose of her grandmother's pills which she had kept from everyone. Together with a lot of alcohol she said goodbye to the world.

I am stunned. I have, admittedly, not spoken to her for about two months but had never for one nanosecond thought that she would be the type to commit suicide. Her funeral will be next week Thursday - having spoken with her dad, he said that the world had lost a very good actress as she kept up such an amazing front, only very rarely giving in to her depression. Her family, of course knew of her battle. The rest of us only glimpsed it.

Farewell sweetest friend, she of the bright laugh, the holidays in Italy, the mad singing of Abba songs, the irrepressable Barry Manilow fan. You will be missed, more than you will ever know. Its as if life has become a bit less bright without you.

I knew she liked Christina Rosetti's work and this poem I found for her.

I hope you have found the peace you sought.

When I Am Dead, My Dearest

When I am dead, my dearest,

Sing no sad songs for me;

Plant thou no roses at my head,

Nor shady cypress tree:

Be the green grass above me

With showers and dewdrops wet;

And if thou wilt, remember,

And if thou wilt, forget.

I shall not see the shadows,

I shall not feel the rain;

I shall not hear the nightingale

Sing on, as if in pain:

And dreaming through the twilight

That doth not rise nor set,

Haply I may remember,

And haply may forget.