A Story About Carlin

This is a story about kindness, about friendship, about love, about spirit. This is a story about Carlin Brightwell.

It was only a few days after I heard the news that I had to drive from Boulder to California. I was pretty shaken up and didn’t exactly feel comfortable driving halfway across the country. The only comfort was that I would have to go through Glenwood Springs and could perhaps detour to Aspen to attend the memorial. Although I was nervous and tired, I knew I couldn’t actually stop along the way due to obligations in California.

I didn’t need to stop for gas, but I pulled off at Glenwood anyway to clear my head and also to get rid of the little amount of cannabis I had forgotten was in my car. When I pulled into the gas station I saw a man, who looked like he lived on the street, sitting on a bench talking to some tourists. I figured he would be a great candidate to gift the herb to. I was cleaning out some trash from the car as he finished giving the tourists directions.

He then called over to me, “Hey brother! You don’t happen to have any herb do you?”

I smiled and said, “I do and I was planning on giving it all to you.”

His face lit up, “No way! Right on man, that’s awesome.”

“Yeah I’m driving to California and forgot it was in the car, right when I pulled in I saw you and thought you might like it.

“Amazing man, I had been waiting here for hours hoping someone could help me out…” He put out his hand to shake mine and said, “I’m James Harper and it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

He had a strong handshake and perhaps the bluest eyes I had ever seen, like a cross between sapphire and turquoise — truly electric. I didn’t know why but I felt right then that I would never forget him.

We chatted for a minute and then I excused myself, to go inside to use the bathroom and get a coffee, thinking our exchange was through. When I was walking back out to my car he called out to me again and said exactly what was on my mind.

“Hey, did you hear about the couple that died up there?” he asked and gestured up valley.

For a second I thought there was no way we could be thinking of the same people, how could we possibly be connected? But my heart was shaking in my chest and I said, “Carlin?”

“It broke my heart man. I cried when I heard the news, she was an absolute angel.”

I walked over towards him with tears in my eyes, and saw the tears in his, “Yeah she was. A real angel.”

“She always had such a big smile on her face and always gave me such a big hug when I saw her.”

“She was a like a ball of joy — purely positive energy. I loved being around her.” I said.

“Did you know her boyfriend too?”

“No I never had the chance to meet him. Carlin and I met back in Boulder but we became closer when I was living in Aspen a few years ago. Every time I saw her I always thought about how I would like to spend more time with her. She had that affect that pulled people in, it was like I wanted to gravitate closer to her when she was around. You know?”

“Yeah I do. I met her at the bus stop one day and was taken by how friendly she was. She looked me right in the eye and listened to what I had to say, she actually cared what I had to say. She asked me my story and if I was living on the street. I told her that I was but that it was a temporary situation until I could get things back in order. When her bus came she gave me a huge hug and a kiss on the cheek, and then slipped a $20 into my hand and told me to take care of myself. Then she said, ‘and when you see me in town you better come and say hi!”

His story blew me away, but it made perfect sense. That’s what type of person she was. Any of us that knew her can all say that she always wore a smile on her face, or how her laughter was musical and contagious, or how she was one of the kindest souls around. James’ story was a beautiful and utter affirmation of her character — her kindness and love extended not just to friends and family, but to complete strangers. Where most other young women may be afraid or uncomfortable by being alone at a bus stop with a member of society that we have been conditioned to avoid, ignore or be suspicious of, Carlin’s light shined as it always did and she made a new friend. A friend who would be forever touched by her soul.

After hearing his story I told him I wanted to get him something from my car. I put together a little care package of snacks and supplies and a special necklace. The necklace was from an Amazonian tribe named the Ashaninka, and was created by an ayahuasquera (a woman who drinks ayahuasca and created the necklace based off her visions) and was blessed for protection of the user. I told him all of this and could see he was rather surprised, not fully knowing what to make of it at first. He thanked me profusely and then put it on and said, “I’ll never get rid of this man, I mean it…I’ll have it as long as I live.”

I told him that it wasn’t from me, that it was from Carlin. I was giving it to him in her spirit because that’s what she would’ve done. I told him that it would protect him and that she would always be looking over us from above.

“There’s only one place those two can be, and that’s right there…” he said as he pointed up to the sky.

“That’s exactly where they are man. She’s back at home amongst the stars.”

We hugged again, and again, and cried a little bit before we said our goodbyes. Once I got back in the car I felt so much better than I had before. The pain was still there but the nervousness and anxiety were gone. I felt safe getting on the road, knowing that she was up there watching over us. My meeting with James was one of the most unexpected and beautiful gifts I could have ever received. To find solace in a complete stranger who shared a story with me I’ll never forget — it reminded me that every day is a blessing and should be treated as such. I realized that life is too beautiful to not live it like Carlin did, to treat everyone with kindness and love and respect. To carry that energy she had — smile often, laugh loud, and hug like you really care.