Days

There are days in my life that I should remember, days that I don't remember and then there are days that I cannot forget. Today is a day that I cannot forget. It is one of those days that creeps up on you, that you know is coming, but that always surprises you. I am not surprised that this day is here, I am surprised because it should not be one of those days at all and I am surprised at the time that has passed. Today is the 4th anniversary of the death of my oldest friend, Jolie. I think of her often, but today I think in a different way. While I was only on the fringes of her horrible journey, I remember every step today. When her mother called to tell me she was sick, we had not seen each other in a few years, but at that moment I knew two things, I needed to call my mother and I needed a plane ticket. Over the next 18 months we saw each other a lot. I went "home" every chance I got. We spoke on the phone more than we ever had, I learned more about her life than I ever knew before. One day she called me and asked if I could come and help her plan her funeral. When I asked why me, she told me that I was the only one that would be able to make her laugh while doing it and she needed that. I went for a week and we never got around to planning it, but I really don't think that is what she needed me for right then. I will never forget the last day I saw her. It was summer, mid June, it was hot and we were sitting outside and her hair sparkled, she had great hair. We spoke of many things that day, small whispers of what was to come and what was never to be. We spoke of heaven, I had just finished a book about a girl in heaven and that we all have our own heaven, we make it be what we want it to be. Jolie liked that idea, hers would be filled with the people she loved that were waiting for her and she would wait there for those she loved. When I had to go, I held her and told her I loved her and that she had been a true friend to me and that I would see her again and I did not mean here.