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For Linda…
First and Foremost, on behalf of Linda’s family and the youth group, I would
like to thank everyone for coming out today to this candlelight vigil to honor,
remember and celebrate Linda’s life for the past 21 years. Linda has remained
and will always be the spark and light in all of our lives. Her love, charisma,
passion and kindness have touched our lives in the past, in the present and
will remain in the future. Though she is only one person, she has managed to
make each of our lives here today so much brighter and beautiful. Like Linda,
this one flame has ignited in each of us a sense of compassion for people, and
found purpose and meaning in life, this one flame has now spread and touched
each of our lives.
We must not cry, we must not hate, we must not be sad, for Linda has, is and will
always be smiling at us from heaven.
Knowing Linda since 11 years old, we made our own little club called LLUQT.
Each letter was taken from the first name of each of the girls in the group.
We felt like we ruled the world… well at least we ruled Thieu Nhi. The bond
and love that we shared amongst the 5 of us built us to who we are today.
With our every-so catchy nicknames: Me being Ms. Weirdo because I was simply
just weird; Lan being Ms. Airhead because it was our favorite candy; Uyen
being Ms. Idiot just because she took the longest in getting jokes, Tram being
Ms. Stupidio because we thought the name sounded cool, and Quyen being Ms.
Trashy because she always littered. All five of us lived a childhood adventure
of crazily falling for the same boys, hating the same teachers at Sunday school,
and passing an exceedingly number of notes to each other in, in between, and
during classes about the latest loves and hates of being 11. As we grew older,
our LLUQT drifted as we explored our own paths in life. But the sisterhood we
created between each other still lived on in our hearts.
As our past Huyen Truong have told us in the beginning when we first established
Thieu Nhi, "It’s been almost a year now, and in this year I have seen you all
develop friendships that will last a lifetime. The love and warmth you extend
to each other is far beyond anyone’s imagination. What you all have now is so
precious, which is why I want you to always treasure it. I pray that no matter
what happens between any of you, you all will be able to remain the best of
friends. Don’t ever trade in what you have because nothing is worth more than
the friendship you now have and the love you share."
Linda, though you are now physically far, I have never felt you closer to me
than now. I feel you in my family, I see you in my friends, I love you in my
heart. I will not miss you Linda, for you are and will always be here with me.
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