One year

365 days ago I found out that my friend Rochelle had died the night before, 366 days ago today.

So it's been a year since I first saw the words posted on her Facebook page by another friend that Rochelle had passed away.

I think of that moment often: the moment I truly understood that no one, not even the young, not even moms are safe from unexpected death.

Of course I knew that before. We all KNOW it. But like the teenager who drag races or the 3 year old who says "I won't fall" none of us actually believes it will happen to us.

Until it does.

I remember reading her page over and over and over, expecting that at any moment Rochelle would hop on and say "You guys, someone hacked my Facebook account. I'm fine!"

She never did.

It was a weird day. It's been a weird year. A friend told me the other day that she lost dear friend 3 years ago and that while it gets better, it doesn't get less weird that they aren't here. In essence, life will never, ever be the same again.

Her girls are doing well. It's been rough, but I just spent some time with them and they are happy, imaginative girls with great energy and fun spirits. Her husband is beginning new endeavors work wise as well and they are looking at relocating nearer to where we are, which could be lots of fun.

Time goes on. Life goes on. And yes, I miss her. But I have lots of good memories of our times together and I can see her in her girls, the way they act, the things they say, their artsy, craftsy imaginations.

But that doesn't stop me from checking her Facebook page every now and then, not because I think she'll be posting, but because it's nice to see that others think about her, miss her and feel as I do: that the world is odd without her.

I miss you, My Friend. I think of you often. I wish you were here.