Last year someone died who I’d met a few times but with whom I’d emailed plenty. I was sad and felt a bit out of water, given that she wasn’t my relative or close friend. It is a strange feeling, mourning, and I think if you are feeling it you have to accept it and let it take you somewhere.

The first time I met Leslie Harpold she told me I had something in my teeth. That is the kind of woman I want to know better, the stranger who isn’t too shy to possibly embarrass someone new out of kindness. She was terrifically funny — the kind of humor you appreciate days later.

Last December I started visiting Leslie’s annual advent calendar website. I loved that thing and looked forward to it every year. It was a fantastic idea, a website with little windows that became clickable links one day at a time, leading up to Christmas. The advent calendar wasn’t updated for a few days, and then word got around that Leslie had died.

Earlier today I checked The Morning News, as I do every morning. They reprinted their memorial page for Leslie and it’s terrific. They link to her article about how to right a thank-you note, which is the No. 1 search result for that topic. You should read it.