Goodbye my friend....

by Brittany Geragotelis

This past Saturday I lost a friend of mine.

Natalia was a beautiful girl. Always smiling whenever I saw her and was the perfect height for hugs (with me). She was sweet and thoughtful and had a cadence to her voice that was unique and soothing. I looked forward to seeing her on a weekly basis and so did the rest of our friends.

Once, when I was having a particularly bad day, she sat there with me, cracking jokes and talking me through it until I felt better. She had a way of making the people she was talking to, feel like they were important.

It's always a great loss when someone you care about, passes. And maybe it's our first instinct to think we should have done more for them while they were alive. But I can't help but worry that she didn't know how much she meant to me and others. Did I do enough to let her know that in life? The last time I saw her, I said "Hello" and asked how she was doing. She seemed distracted, but I let her continue on her way.

Now, I know enough to understand that I'm not powerful enough to change what's meant to be, but I can make sure that I do a better job of letting those around me know I care about them in the future. That I stop and ask people how they're doing and really listen to their answers instead of thinking only about myself and what's going on in my life. Realize that the problems I have today are luxury problems compared to the stuff that others might be going through.

Natalia was a wonderful person and profoundly touched my life in the short time I knew her. She will be sorely missed and thoroughly loved.

5x5,
B.