Taylor Goettner.
Several constants could be observed amongst the hundreds of people that showed up to honor and remember Taylor Goettner on Wednesday in Philadelphia. Tears streaming everywhere, wiped away above trembling smiles. Those smiles were insurmountable, yet flavorless compared to Taylor's pictures lining the room. Perhaps the most obvious was the fact that absolutely no one was wearing the same clothes.
With a line comparable to Space Mountain, the room was filling-in even after the service's conclusion. A gauntlet of Taylor's life wound around the room paying homage to her life and loves. Words of Taylor's and pieces she was fond of were read to very few dry eyes. Her request to have people dress vibrantly shirked a dismal atmosphere. Quite literally, it was like a party she planned.
Dozens spoke of their fond memories and deep connections with Taylor. Her family shared absolutely heart-wrenching testaments to her passion. Friends, new and old, shared a multitude of stories that seemed to have a common theme: person meets Taylor, person falls in love with Taylor. Her kind soul and charm acting as a catalyst for bonding with the world at large. Every word spoken of her was indicative of a group of people struggling to describe the love they met in such a person. Where words fail, emotion translates.
The common theme of Taylor's smile was absolutely undeniable. The pictures lit up the room to the point where suspicions could be made that her dentist put the collages together. She shined. Like a sea of stars amongst the hues of her vibrant hair and styles. Paying homage to nature's most dramatic offerings, be it the northern lights or the most grand of sunsets. A midnight sun of a smile shined through every last picture.
Taylor's husband sat in the front, along with the rest of her family. Her friends surrounding them wall to wall decked out in a spectrum of cloth. With her love of flowers and ocular stimulation, one perhaps could not help but feel like she planted a field in that room. The most extraordinary of gardens for her loved ones to walk through, to sit in. To immerse them all in the world that she loved and gaze out at them through her pictures. Her smile the stars above her sunset, lighting up that garden.
Read her words. Admire her art. Listen to her music. Live like she lived, love like she loved. Thank you for loving us all, Taylor.
See also:
Taylor Goettner, Newlywed Cancer Patient, Dies At 26
Zumbathon To Be Held For Local Cancer Patient
