Good evening, Firstly I would like to thank those readers of BCTS whom have commented on the revision made to "Tragedy". This revision was a task upon which I could not have done. I owe this to STANMAN63 and the phenominal proffing by JennaFL and Nora Adrienne.

Over the past few weeks I have recieved some comments on the revision and I am grateful for those comments. I was asked in a few of them what my thoughts are of Mellissa and her story. Firstly, Her story touched me in many ways. ( I have commented on this in a previous blog post). I suppose I can expand on what I knew of her and what lesson she taught me from knowing her. I knew that she went through a lot of troubles being rejected and her quiet shyness showed me that she had a strength of determination. Mellissa did not have a wide circle of friends if I can recall. There was one close friend and that was Jenn S. Jenn was her confident, and the person whom she trusted the most in life. I came along and she began to see the true friend I was and the open person I was and the potential trsuting friend I would eventually become and her trust in my abilities. Mellissa as I remember was a battered soul, her story rang true for many. Her story touched me and made me cry. Her telling of the abuse to me and Jenn when we met on a few occassions when we were much younger showed a vulnerable and scared soul. She was ripped from her childhood to adulthood in mere moments. My own humanity cannot fathom that. There are memories that I wish not to share, however the few I can share are of her pain and anger at life and the world. Her anger stretched to beyond parental figures. Society as a whole were on her top list of things to hate. She despised a system of government and social programs. Yes, she was witty and had a comedic side to her. However I feel that as I loom back she used this to mask her pain and her anguish. I believe in some senses we all do. I remember one moment when the three of us were out having her favorite night time enjoyment was Rainbow ice cream and Earle Grey tea, we all ran into a domestic at our favorite restraunt and she observed the sitution right quick when the young boy struck his sister and his dad laughed. the mom was so shacked she took several moments to step into the situation, Mellissa whom had sky blue eyes went really mad and as I was off to her right saw her beautiful eyes go from sky blue to ice cold in a split second. She dragged the boy off his sister and flung him to the floor and went into a tirade on the parents to alloow this action to take place. Mellisdsa was 21 at the time. I was so shocked that she was going to have a heart attack as she was shaking so bad and seething in her voice at them, well the end result was after the police were called and witness statements made there were no charges laid. I was affraid for not only Mellissa but for the boy and his father. I had never witnessed anything ike that in my life. Jenn had only 10 or 12 times before I knew her. She was so calm her whole demenor exuded control.. Truely amazing is what it was . I will remember that incident.

The incident is clearly mentioned on several pages in her diary as well as subsequent entries in others and a idea for one was started on that theme. I only wish she was able to continue and finish that idea. I wish I had the oppertunity to know her more as I eventually moved away to school and did keep in touch. However, life moves onward. Her life I feel did and went very slowly and then picked up momentum as she developed her illnesses. I suppose I will never understand the human condition as to what makes people hate and abuse others due to what they feel. Our own understanding to get past our own ignorances and intollerances will be a ongoing challenge. I suppose the lesson I learned from reading her journals and her story the first time and then the revised version, was that we are human and that we have to overcome each barrier and challenge head on and I truely believe that Mellissa did. Her strength and courage was a triumph, howerver we all go through tragedies and loss of spirits in our souls and sometimes they can never be regained. They are ingrained upon whom we are and can never be erased only to be filed and drawn upon when needed. My lesson learned was to be very accepting and overcome my ignorances in life towards others which I do after Uni. I only accepted Mellissa due to her friendliness towards the girls and her lack of trust towards the opposite gender. I know I have had alot of issues myself growing up, I think we all do in some small way. I am at fault for the mistakes I have made and readily accept the ownership of them. Mellissa did nothing wrong and yet she paid the price from others and herself. Her own Tragedy turned Triumph for others and herslef. I feel a bit too late though for herself as she had many years left in her and her fight continued til the end. She was a strong woman whom went too quickly and her talent will be missed. I know I miss her. I have to rely on those memories of her and the wonderful positive person she was and will remain to be.

I know I was maybe rambling abit, however I was tearing up reminising about memories from her. I suppose one can sum it up as strength of spirit and triumph through adversity. My many fond memories of her will be only those i can cherish in my mind and those I read in her journals. Those outside of her friends will remeber her for her story and those memories they had of her and those conversations between comments. Mellissa was strenght as well as determination and compassion whom finally realized that she was a child of GOD and a beloved sister to those arround her.

I appologize for rambling, it choked me up. My appologies. Blessings.

Melanie Dixon

PS. Thanks for the comments and reading her story.