Till That Day We Meet Again, In My Heart Is Where You'll Be My Friend

I've been dreading this post since I decided that I was going to keep this blog. I've been dreading this day for a year. A long year.

A year ago today, a great friend passed away. It was unexpected and it makes my heart hurt every day. Every day for a year, I've thought about this girl. I've thought about how beautiful her smile is/was, how much I miss it. I've thought of the glorious laugh that she had. It was contagious. Her love and beauty was contagious. She was the sweetest person I had ever met.

To say it's unfair that she left us a year ago today would be an understatement. It's more than unfair. Words can't describe how I feel. How we all feel. She was only 21, just 9 days short of 22. A beautiful soul. Truly. I still remember getting the news like it was yesterday. I ran out to my car to smoke a cigarette and text her. I said "Chelsey, please text me back." And she never did. The last time I talked to her was on Christmas when she asked if we wanted to come to a party but we didn't go. The last time I saw her was a week or two before on a Saturday night for boyfriend's birthday party.

Writing this post is killing me. Today I have to work, then I'll be at my dad's for Christmas with him. But it will still be there in the back of my mind. I've given myself stuff to do to make it easier to get through the day. We'll see how that goes. After Christmas with my dad I will be going to visit her. And I'll remember the good times and laugh. And I'll remember that terrible day and cry. But most of all, I'll remember her and all the beauty that came along with her.

A friend of hers wrote this poem for her funeral. I know you can't really read it but the picture is beautiful. 

Actually 2011...silly camera. 

The last time I'd see that face. Little did I know.

Her 21 birthday party. That face was a face of a great time. She hated this picture. But I cherish it.