A Tribute to MilDred

MilDred. Photograph by Eva Mueller.

I thought about her last week — June 9th was MilDred's birthday.  She was a true Gemini:  two-spirited, intelligent, her default setting was creative fluidity. She was one of those people who fit the term "ahead of her time", to me this means she was authentic.  She lived her best life.

MilDred. Photograph by Eva Mueller.

MilDred was pure, kind, on-time, and stylish. She was joyful, she was the light in a dark space — her smile spoke its own language. Her art was as much of her expression as how she spoke, how she waved to say hello, how she walked across town. She told stories of what she saw on her day to day walks across NYC.  She bit the apple.  

MilDred. Photograph by Eva Mueller.

When MilDred began to enter mental illness she went down the path of multiple personalities. MilDred disappeared and Light Ning appeared. Light Ning was not sweet as Mil/Dred was — Light Ning was a being who came to protect Mil/Dred. Light Ning embodied Mildred's anger, self protection, and defenses. Light Ning replaced my friend.  Still — she texted or called me almost every week! She always kept my number and checked in and let me know how she was doing.  

MilDred. Photograph by Eva Mueller.

When MilDred/Light Ning died she visited me and my son. My son saw her in a dream and I felt her presence while I was getting ready for work — the same morning. I felt her, I closed my eyes and envisioned her. She was wearing white, smiling and radiating love. I placed my hand on my heart and said: "there's my friend." The next day her sister called me to tell me she had passed. 

MilDred was smiling — I know she is whole now.

MilDred. Photograph by Eva Mueller.