Two days ago, I visited a friend. She died during our sophomore year of college, and I have gone to her grave nearly every year since.
In the last two years, an adjoining headstone announced the passing of both of her parents. Since she was an only child, the passing of her parents seems like a second tragedy. Though I had never spoken to them, I did write them once, and received a nice letter in return. It gave me some comfort knowing that they were out there, that other people remembered my friend, presumably even better than I did.
Now, I don’t know. Am I the last person to remember her? Will I be the last to visit her grave?
People vanish so unexpectedly from this world. I don’t know that I think of death as a tragedy. But that doesn’t stop me from missing people who so abruptly vanish. And it doesn’t stop me from hoping they are happy now. And I am just selfish enough to wish they were still here with me.
Entries (RSS)
That is sad. I’m sorry that you lost a friend at such a young age.
Thanks, Liz. It still makes me sad, but I have tried to make a kind of peace with it.