Of all the things that have inspired me in life... to pursue photography, to travel, to never leave anything unsaid, to eat oreos instead of salad..... it was the loss of my sister Karla when I was 20 years old that had the greatest impact. She was three years older than I and would have turned 40 this past Saturday. There's nothing like losing someone close to you to give you a kick in the ass to live life fully!
My cousin Tonya writes a family blog and just told the story about Karla in the post linked below. It's a very personal read, but it gives you a sense of who she was and the impact she had on others.
http://paulinescookbook.wordpress.com/2010/03/22/no-justice-to-karla-on-her-40th-birthday/
Coincidentally, I'd received my first SLR camera (a hand-me-down) about the same time that Karla was killed. I became hooked on photography and in hindsight realize that it provided the positive outlet to get through those tough times. Even today, many years later, the memory of Karla still inspires me everytime I take a photo.
