Appropriately Stormy...

Today, I lost a friend. She passed away after an unexpected illness, and I'm still in shock. We had raging storms when I heard the news - thunder overhead, rain pummeling down. Appropriate for the shock I was feeling. Just yesterday, I taught students in my literature class about "pathetic fallacy," when nature seems to mirror the actions going on in people's lives. Soft rain at a funeral, bright sunshine on a wedding day. And big storms on a tragic day.

What do writers do when we're stunned, upset, sad? We write.

So here I go, rattling off some thoughts about her (she's "YODA", by the way, in some of my comments sections in many of my entries - I always loved hearing her thoughts on things).

I found her through another friend - both on Facebook and through our blogs. Over the past 2 months, we exchanged emails and it felt like I'd known her for YEARS. It was one of those friendships that cuts through all the "fake faces" that we have when we meet someone new. Instantly, we were talking about all our similarities: we're both teachers, both had similar heartbreaks, and both attended the same high school, 20 years ago (but didn't know each other then!).

I loved her writing style - she was quick, witty, and brilliant. As I got to know her personality, I saw the great depth of her spirit. She'd been through a lot in her life, but was a fighter. She fought until the end, I'm sure. Her spirit was strong and endured through great hardships.

Today, in this blog entry, I honor her. Her life, her spirit, those she left behind (children and a husband), and the all-too-brief friendship I was honored to have with her.

Rest in Peace, Shannon. I wasn't finished with our friendship yet. You will be MISSED.