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Its this time of year I start thinking about Karen more and how life would have been if she was still with us, I wonder if she would still be here if she had a child, I wonder why a intelligent women would allow her self to become so sick.. I wonder why Richard would even think about bringing her in the studio knowing her condition, in my opinion reinforcing her lifestyle choice. I wonder if we take this earthly life to seriously, I wonder what Karen is doing right now… I’m wondering.
Edited by KarenFanForLIfe, 21 December 2006 - 01:20 PM.

I did not mean to sound so depressing, just expressing some personal fellings outwards about Karen. I realize that the past is the past and its healthier just to appreciate the wonderful legacy she left all of us.
Edited by KarenFanForLIfe, 27 December 2006 - 04:17 PM.

I was watching the Carpenters Gold DVD and it got me thinking...its a shame that she left the world too soon...but her legacy lives on in music...there are many things that I think...but I don't want to go in depth.

I find myself 'wondering' quite a lot to but there are some things that there is just no answer to. I'd like to think if Karen was still with us that she would be living HER 'dream' and be happily married with a family and just doin what made HER happy. Who knows though!! I must add though that 'intelligence' would have nothing to do with her allowing herself to get so sick. The disorder distorts the rational and irrational side of things. Also, things were different back then, not much was known and Richard just did not have any clue what he was 'dealing' with as far as the ED side of Karen goes.

Wherever she is now, I'm sure she's happy. She's 'free' ya know!!

..and that's why I sometimes can smile after listening to their music....

Whatever Karen's doing or wherever she is: we all still love her.

And we always will

I do that too, i bet she is better there whenever she is. I miss her

yeah we miss and love her.i think of karen everyday.im suffering her battle right now...im sure dispite her illness she had her comforts and joy in life.i mean most of her smiles were so genuine in her pictures.im sure shes doing fine wherever she is right now....and would freak if she knew how many people love her....there will never be another karen

I'll never forget those 2 things of Karen's:

1: Her smile
2: Her beautiful brown eyes

I would add one more to those two. Her beautiful and unique voice
Edited by *Marifetje*, 19 March 2007 - 07:02 PM.

I absolutely agree, Karen Carpenter has a wonderful smile, combined with those eyes WOW

and to answer the other questions

I think that Richard took Karen in to record in hopes that pretending things were OK would make Karen OK, I think that Richard cared for Karen,
but didn't know what to do, Anorexia is confusing, it is so hard to see someone you love being eaten away by this disease that seems easily cured (just eat the burger) but it isn't, my sister had just a mild case of it, it wasen't as bad as most, it wasen't hard to treat, mostly becuase I was onto her all the time, I knew what she was beginning to put herself through, this is because of Karen, see this is why Karen had to die so young, this was her purpose in life, this wonderful lady that everybody wished would have a long life, because of her voice came, and really showed the world the dangers of it, Karen was an angel in every since of the word, her looks, her voice, her personality, and her dying to save millions of other lives ( I really believe this was her purpose in life) and for this I am eternally greatful, or who knows, My mom wouldn't have lived ( she was going through the same thing the same time Karen was) and my sister might not have made it ( that woulden't have mattered because our mom may not have made it) what I am trying to say is that Karen's helped 2 members of my family, and me ( she sings me out of the deepest depression) most people dont even know all the great things that Karen did,but I do,
so I want to say with all my heart and soul
"THANK YOU KAREN"
Edited by AaronC, 24 April 2007 - 12:44 AM.

Very true! Thanks for the extra comment!

Karen didn't "allow" herself to become so ill, she had an eating disorder. An eating disorder is a psychological problem manifesting itself in a physical way. And Richard didn't know how to deal with the disease. You have to remember that before Karen died, the public really hadn't heard of anorexia or bulimia. It was only through her death that it came to the forefront of the media.

In 1983 when I was 19 years old, I had never heard of Karen or the Carpenters. I had been dieting obsessively for months, with my weight dropping to an alarming 90 lbs. at 5'7" tall. I fasted for days at a time, then would binge, followed by boxes of laxatives. I tried to vomit, but it took months of practice before I could do it effectively. My parents were upset with my appearance, my friends all said I looked like I was ready to drop dead. But no one knew there was this thing called anorexia nervosa. Then one day, the director of nursing (D.O.N) at the nursing home where I worked as a nurse aide called me into her office. She had a magazine article that she wanted me to read. It was about this woman named Karen Carpenter who had starved herself to death because of a disease called anorexia. "That's what you have," said the D.O.N. "And you're going to die just like her if you don't get some help."

Just like Karen, I don't know how I got so ill. It just happened. I remember being afraid of getting fat even as young as 3rd grade. Somehow, the disordered thinking and eating took root in my mind and there was nothing I could do about it. Even now, I fight it every day, even though I consider myself an intelligent woman. I started going to college after I got divorced (after twenty years of marriage), and now I'm in nursing school, getting all A's. I'm good at my job as a pharmacy technician. I feel that I function very well as a professional woman. But when it comes to weight and eating, I'm a wreck. My kids are grown, so now since the divorce I live alone. Loneliness follows me through my days and nights, which is something I think Karen struggled with big-time. Where does all this dark torment come from? I think somehow . . . for people like Karen and me . . . it's just the way it is.
Edited by RxTechRN2b, 25 July 2007 - 05:04 PM.

It's not a simple explanation, but for those who don't understand, imagine anorexia as a physical manifestation of depression, for example. It's not a choice. Anorexia may seem physiological but it isn't.