I learned yesterday that one of my wonderful online friends, Marie Jasinski of Australia passed away. I feel like I have known Marie for most of my online life, probably coming into contact around 1999 or 2000. She amazed me with her natural facilitation gifts, her curiosity to move beyond the “same old same old” and her innovation with games as a central part of learning and being together, especially online.
In 2006 I got to meet Marie F2F in her hometown of Adelaid. We got to go out to dinner and have a “girlfriends” night out. We talked about our work, our lives and of course, about food. On the way to dinner, I took this picture of Marie, mid street, mid sentence. I entitled it “Marie Crossing.”
Now Marie has crossed out of our physical world. Her light and energy, her insistence on pushing our learning forward, her love for the people around her will leave a big hole in our worlds, online and offline.
Marie, thank you for everything you brought into my life and into my worlds. Marty, and all of Marie’s closest, I’m sending massive love beams to see you through this crossing.
Update Jan 24 – More memories, a wiki to share your thoughts and see the comment below for an online memorial gathering tonight 9pm PST for those of us in the nothern hemisphere.