A Time to Reflect

Wendy and I at the Stanislaus Fair in one of those photo booths

Wendy has been my best friend since the 7th grade. When my dad was was diagnosed with Cancer, she would leave bouquets of flowers on my door step, fix dinners and bring them to my house for my family when I was with my dad taking care of him. She would call and talk with my kids to make sure they were doing okay and to see what was needed, always taking special care in listening to what they had to say. She would leave me uplifting messages on my answering machine to encourage me in a dark time in my life. When my dad had passed away, she took care of everything for the funeral afterwards. She never left me and my sister Jessica. I don't know what I would do without her. Even though we don't get together as much as we like to, we know that we are always there for one another.

This past week, her sister Virginia passed away in her sleep. Her husband found her. She was only 44 years old. She had three daughters and one grandson. I went to her funeral on Saturday, and spent the day with Wendy and her family. They are devastated. Since I have known of her death, the memories have flooded me of the times that we all spent together laughing or bickering, and covering up for each other when we were teenagers.

When Wendy got married, I had the honor of being in her wedding. Virgina and I gave Wendy the most memorable wedding shower to be talked about for quite some time afterward. We spent a lot of time discussing, planning and sharing what Wendy had meant to us. I will never forget it or her.

The following day (Sunday), we celebrated my sister Jessica and two of my nephew's birthday's. I hadn't had time to reflect on just coming from my best friend's sister's funeral and what I had been feeling on Sunday... there was still a lot to process. My friend was mourning her sister and I was to be celebrating mine. My heart ached for her.

I do know this.. tell the one you love how much and what they mean to you. Don't wait.