Kimi: 1 year since her passing and all she taught me about LIFE

Today is one year since we lost the beautiful, loving and intelligent Kimi Bishop. 

In some ways is hard to believe that it has already been a year, and in other ways it feels like it has been the longest 365 days. If this is how I feel, I can only imagine how her Dad, Mom, and sister long for her.

Kimi was not just any 'everyday kinda gal'... Nope! Not Kimi Bishop. Kimi did not conform. She was not forced into any mould. Kimi was SPECIAL. Kimi was UNIQUE. 

Kimi was Kimi.

Kimi had an incredible personality - one that drew people to her like a magnetic force. She had a witty sense of humor, whereby she could chirp you, but this chirp was never nasty -- it would be in the gentlest and funniest way, that would leave people laughing at themselves. 

I loved that about her. 

Kimi, as I saw her, was a 'free-spirit', a sort of 'hippie-child' if you wish. She was one with nature, earth, animals, music. It is my personal belief that Kimi had a special connection with animals, and in particular with birds. It was in some of her hardest times in her life, that a bird would appear to her, lifting her spirits in a supernatural way. This happened more than once...

Something that I really admire about Kimi, was her totally real and tangible zest for living life! One just has to scroll through Kimi's Facebook profile to see that there is no doubt about it, 

Kimi LIVED. 

She partied, she went camping, she travelled, she jumped off really high boulders and she laughed and smiled and loved and was loved.

The thing I remember most about Kimi and probably what I admired the most about her, was her carefree nature, and with that her ability to throw her head back in laughter and happiness, this picture is a brilliant depiction of her manner:

I have not, to this day, come into contact with a family that shows one another, on a daily basis, how they LOVE one another, as the Bishops do. They are an incredible family. If I were Kimi, and I had passed a year ago, there is one thing I know for certain... I would have known LOVE. I would have known that I was loved, and that my family would love me always.

Kimi and family at our wedding - April 2010.

Kimi the free spirit

We love you Kimi, and we miss you
XXX

My lessons learnt from Kimi: 

1. Laugh like no one is watching 

2. Be able to laugh at yourself

3. Experience everything

4. Love everyone