Memphis Skyline

Pretty much all of my 2016 posts have been about death and  loss and I will be starting this one with the same subject.

A friend of mine was killed in a hit and run a month ago. Helping her spouse was my main concern and I honestly can say that I did not really cry about the loss of my friend for about a week or so after it happened.
In the age of texting, I have grown accustomed to sending a quick message to a friend about something random and it seems that I have wanted to do that about 20 times since she died.
I have been writing them down in my journal. I guess it is part of my healing process.
This terrible tragedy has banded the tribe together. I check in with them a lot more than I did 4 weeks ago. I don't think there would be a dispute that I am the planner of the group, but even with that unofficial title I have got caught up in my own stuff and not been as active of a participant in my friendships.
Not to sound cheesy, but life is too short.

It is strange to me that a death has given me a new lease on life. Though I don't think of myself as a person who is uneasy trying new things, or a "uhhh, I can't do this."
This does not mean that I am going to jump out of an airplane or get a some kind of botox done, it means that I am going to seek out opportunity and not fall into the daily ruts.

I love my friends, I am going to make plans to see them more often.
Don't think that I can submit an article for possible publication, because I don't have time, or it won't get published anyway. Bollocks. I can put something together.
I want my daughter to try roller skating. BAM! She has an interest in something. As long as it is not totally unfeasible, I say let's give it a go.

I had a conversation with someone awhile ago that said to me that keeping up friendships was too much work. She was too old to bother with all the egos, opinions, and personalities. Thinking back on this conversation I have to chuckle a bit. Isn't that what it is all about? I love that some of my friends are needy, picky, flaky, and really I could go on and on and on and on, because that is what makes them who they are...
Can it be annoying? Absolutely. But who cares?!? As I said before, life is too short and as long as they want to hang out with me then it is all good.
I guess what I am trying to say is that I love my friends and I am really going to miss my friend who died.