A toast - to Helen

Last Thursday morning my friend Helen passed away. Her battle with cancer finally came to its conclusion. And I will miss her. Over the last few days, I have stared at this blog screen... Wondering what to write. How do you express emotions into words? I certainly don't have the answer to that, but I can tell you what I am thinking.

I have know Helen for a lot of years, in fact, even though she was my moms best friend, I have known her longer than my mom. Helen married one of my closest and dearest friends father. In fact I almost cant remember Hank with out Helen. Through the years I got to know Helen well, Chad (my forementioned friend) and I were like family... Heck there was a time when it was Helen's dream for us to be together.... Which makes me laugh now... Especially seeing as how Chad has met and married the most amazing person, and to see him and Anita together is just a beautiful thing, a perfect thing. But when Helen talked like that was over 15 years ago... Back when we were still in highshcool, back when we were just kids. It seems like a lifetime ago. Of course Chad and I wanted no part of Helen's master plan... We were just friends, and liked it that way. But every once in a while we could hear (again 15 years ago) Helen say "you two should just get together". It was funny. We were best friends, nothing more.... Except in Helen's dreams. That of course changed as they years progressed, but it still makes me laugh!

I keep thinking of all the years I have know her, and all the fun we had. When she became best friends with my mom, I got to see her and Hank even more! We were all like family, so Christmas', Thanksgivings, heck all holidays we were always together. She is family. So is Hank, and Chad, and Anita and Josh.

She was a very important part of my life... Never afraid to give me hell, or support me when I needed it... Always willing to give a different and new perspective on the situation....

And I miss her.

When she was diagnosed with cancer my heart wept. Why must terrible things happen to good people? Helen is one of the most kindest most caring, funniest, truest souls I have ever known... And it was horribly unfair that she was going to have to battle cancer.

But she did.

And she battled valiantly.

But now the battle is over, and Helen does not have to fight anymore.

I will miss her smile, laugh, brutal honesty, and never ending faith in the good inside people. I will miss dominos, cards, and martinis. I will miss the holidays. But most of all I will miss her.

But all those things will live on in my heart and memory's... And the hearts and memory's of every life she touched. She will live forever in our hearts.

I toast to you Helen.

We will never forget your smile.







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INSPIRATIONAL THOUGHT OF THE DAY
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"I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see."
-John Burroughs