I am still in shock as I lie awake in bed. Those unexpected life events that come out of nowhere like a freak bolt of lightning leave you… unsettled. And they do not come with the power to send you through time to fix it.
As with many of us our age, juggling adulthood tasks means we communicate with each other when we can but our minds are always on each other.
I had liked a picture or some other thing she shared last week. The next thing I knew she had sent me a message asking how I was. Same as always: (sigh) “You know- Life, but happy.” She ended by simply saying to always stay the cool person I am.
My school life was not filled with the fondest of memories when they did not include people like Jenny. She did not treat me in any way special – just as an equal. Which, considering how popular she was, came shockingly to this weird, socially awkward teenage nerd. For that I will always love her.
As I read through the text conversation at the time I had a feeling of being sad. I had known from previous conversations that she was homesick often, but you know how we get- “Yeah, yeah. It’ll happen when it happens…” Life.
Anyway. I was trying to get to sleep and thought of that conversation. Damn right that I am always going to stay cool. Because of people like you. ???
You are home, with all of us now.