If You Want to Visit Barbados – or Do Anything Else – Please Don’t Wait
My friend Lucinda Riley died last evening at 8:00 p.m. Last Sunday, a few hours before the heart condition that would claim her, she was laughing and joking and animatedly discussing her latest read at her book club meeting.
Lucinda was fifty-something. A Yank who had always wanted to visit Barbados. Her first chance to, she did. That was when I moved here a year and a couple months ago. She gave the new holiday rental apartment I had just purchased a trial run.
Like me, she wasn’t a drinker but she loved sweets. Last evening, Greg and I bought a pint of her favorite – Bico’s Maple Walnut. We raised our spoons to Lucinda. I cried – but also laughed, when it occurred to me that Lucinda would say I used her passing as an excuse to indulge.
I’ll miss her. She’ll never swim around the island, like she kidded about. But she did what so many of us don’t: she made life happen when she had the chance.
Lucinda in Bathsheba; photo taken from the patio of Round House
Lucinda & me
14 Responses to “If You Want to Visit Barbados – or Do Anything Else – Please Don’t Wait”
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Oh Jane
I am so sorry for your loss. How true is the saying ‘Carpe Diem’
I am thinking of you.
Lucinda entered our lives like an elephant in a crystal shop. And she left it empty and missing something. Jane’s right; we’re much more fragile than we think.
It’s really sad that such a lot of fire was extinguished so young. My sympathy to you and all of her friends and family. I didn’t know Lucinda but I feel like I did through you and Vicki and I am sorry for your loss.
Lovely way to put it .. her visit with us was like having an elephant enter our crystal shop … Lu wasn’t a large person but she did take up a lot of room in life. Big heart, too. I haven’t slept all week, just grieving I guess.
So true, Diane! Carpe diem indeed. Today’s the day!
Hi Jane, I am so sorry about the lost of your friend. True friends are hard to find. There is nothing like the love and support of one. My brother in law was one of my best friends. We would spend afternoons on the patio talking about nothing and enjoying each others company. I loved his wit and wisdom. He was never shy about giving me his honest opinion on the happenings in my life. He past away in 1997. I still miss him to this very day. God will give you the strength to cope with the lose of your friend. You must believe that her spirit will always live within you. Cherish those special memories of your times together. Be thankful that she met your Greg and had a chance to enjoy you guys and the island. I wish you peace and love.
Jane,
very beautiful piece about Lucinda. You have such a wonderful way with words. It made me smile because your smiles on the photos are genuine. Take care…
P.S. I read the article you wrote about renting your property for “budget” prices. Don’t you dare! You get what you pay for. There are certain things in life that shouldn’t be given at a budget price, and your property is one thing that shouldn’t be. Stick to your guns!
Thank you, Valerie. I think about Lucinda every day. I’m an eBay fan and I used to send links to Lucinda for shoes I thought she should bid on in her hard-to-fit size .. which she dutifully did. You know what? I’m still finding shoes for Lucinda ….
I am Lucinda’s only sister and this is the first time I found your site. She talked about you and her wonderful visit. Your words were beautiful. This has been a hard year and and all the emotions of losing her and finding out about her medical condition of Long QT syndrome.
She is missed and there were so many things she still wanted to do and place to visit.
Joetta, my condolences to you on losing your sister Lucinda. Of course you’re still in a great deal of pain. I appreciate knowing what caused her sudden death; I had never heard of Long QT Syndrome but from my reading on the Internet, understand better the suddenness of Lucinda’s passing.
Gosh, your sister loved Barbados. Greg and I still talk about her visit — during which she saw and did four times what any other visitor to Barbados could possibly.
A year ago Lucinda was visiting you for the long weekend at Barbados. She loved her visit and wanted to go back. I hope you toasted her with some good sweets. She never got to swim around the island. I am sure she never told you about her first near drowning when she was 12, I was swimming with her. This now we know was really her first Long QT episode, and not the epileptic seizure they thought. We are finding other family members, including a 8 year-old third cousin with Long QT syndrome who had also had a near drowning.
Take care and glad to see her pictures still on your website. These are the memories I like to remember.
Joetta, hello. Thank you for writing. Do you know, it was actually 2 years ago that Lucinda visited me in Barbados. I had just moved to the island permanently and she was my very first guest. I hardly had enough furniture to make her comfortable! In fact, Lucinda helped me get my rental property organized for renters.
No, I didn’t know about her near-drowning experience, Joetta. How frightening that had to have been for Lucinda! It’s amazing that she exhibited absolutely no fear at all of the Caribbean Sea and swam at least twice daily.
Lovely to hear from you. Memories are wonderful to have, aren’t they? Mine of her – and my sister Brooks, whom also left this world recently and far too young – are amongst my most treasured things in my life.
Hi…I just got my alumni magazine from college (Transylvania) and read of the loss of Lucinda. I hadn’t thought of her in years, but she was such fun! The comments about her are exactly as I remember her. I am so glad you are keeping her memory alive.
Sharon Mills
Jane,
My heart aches for you, my dear friend, for what you have been through the past year. I just found out tonight. What a shock! We lost Larry the same way you lost Brooks. It is hard to accept. I remember your sister was such a smart, beautiful, fun person.
In addition, you lost your good friend. What a tough year you have had. You have always had a kind heart and are sensitive to others’ pain. I am so happy you have a wonderful person there with you (Greg) while you grieve. From reading your blog, I can see that you have alot of people in your life who care about you.
If you read this tonight, know that I am here in Colorado thinking of you there in Barbados.
Always,
Steph