A bright star, gone too soon

After the frivolity of my last post I sadly have an occasion to take a more sombre tone. The other day I received a call from a former colleague in Australia. She did not have good news to impart. Her call was regarding a lovely girl called Tiff with whom I worked at STC. She had been out walking her dog and fell over, hitting her head. For several days she had been in an induced coma as doctors fought to save her, but unfortunately they lost the battle and on Friday her life support was switched off. The shock of this news has not quite sunk in yet, and it pains me to speak of Tiff in the past tense, but I feel compelled to take this time to pay tribute to her and acknowledge the impact she had on my life.

Tiffany was one of those people who always had time for you, greeting you with a welcoming smile no matter what she was doing. A rarity in any working environment, she got on with anyone and was loved by everyone, while still having a sparkling, cheeky side. Her warmth and joy were always palpable and she generously passed on her energy at every opportunity. I remember countless conversations with her, especially towards the end of my time in Sydney when I was planning my trip, where I would leave our encounter feeling lighter, happier, more energised and full of inspiration. I'm not sure how she did this, but it will stay with me always.

Last year she travelled through the deep south of America to many of the places I'm planning to go on my travels, so she gave me plenty of advice about where to see and what she loved about those places. She also encouraged me to use my travels for some creative and spiritual contemplation, recommending a number of books to read and courses to take. I have taken on board much of her advice, and opened up one of these books the day after hearing the dreadful news of her passing. This shocking event has made me acutely aware how fragile life is and how important it is to chase your dreams in the moment, not constantly deferring them to 'tomorrow'. I can't begin to imagine what Tiff's family and partner feel right now but I know that this tragedy has impacted hugely on my former colleagues, and indeed people throughout Sydney's arts community whose lives were touched by her. The Sydney Morning Herald wrote a tribute to her here.

Tiff was a bright force in the world, a light filled with joy. I can still see her smile and hear her laughter now. She had a beauty from within that emanated from her in every way. I will strive to ensure that the memories of her energy, enthusiasm and inspirational force will stay with me more than the tragedy of her too-soon passing.

Vale Tiffany Moulton