I miss you

My best friend Laura died 25 years ago today.

I was 5 days shy of 13...and it felt like my whole world caved in around me. Indeed, when her mom called to tell me that Laura had been taken to the hospital and it's bad...I collapsed to the floor sobbing, clutching the receiver and that's where my mother found me when she returned home from town. Laura died that night in spite of all heroic measures taken to save her life.

I don't remember when we met...I felt like I knew her forever. Our families attended the same church in Mitchell. We didn't go to kindergarten together; coming from a rural community and living in different townships we alternated days in school. We farm kids went full days to Upper Thames, every other day (and had nap time!) whereas the town kids went half days every day to Mitchell Public. From then on though, we were inseparable...when you saw one of us the other wouldn't be far behind.

I spent many nights at her house...called her parents "mom" & "dad"....she truly was like a sister to me and I miss her every day. I often wonder how different my life would have been had she lived.