Today would have been Molly Holzschlag’s 61st birthday. I want to take a moment to remember her by sharing a bit from a post she made way back in 2012 on the new defunct Pastry Box Project.

The post was largely about how the web enables us to be there for one another in times of crisis. Molly shared how she found solace—while reeling from the emergency hospitalization of her mother—in the support of her community through email, Twitter, and Facebook.

Molly recognized the power of the web—and the Open Web in particular—to connect people and communities for the betterment of all humans. Sure, she saw the downsides too and would grumble about them quite often, but she was a firm believer that the web was a net positive for the world.

As I reflected on her life last year when we lost her, this passage really struck me:

Mortality reminds us in very cold, frightening terms how fragile our life and times truly are. The Web, which is a naturally social and interactive communications platform, can help bring us all closer. The fighting, the drama, the debates - they all become irrelevant in these very mortal moments. Let us all reach for the greatness within ourselves and put it into our Web work every day, because even on those days we feel it’s overwhelming or doesn’t matter, it really truly does. One world, one Web, one love, my brothers and sisters.

I cannot think of a better way to remember Molly on this day.

Much love to you and your communities!