On Wednesday last week something special happened to me. I made time for my friend. It is not something that I tend to do, but I am learning. We went to breakfast and as I watched her beautiful face light up while she explained a photo shoot she was working on, I wanted to hold the moment- just freeze it there in blissful ice. For two hours we sat under the umbrella of friendship, chewing on our life’s stories with the avocado toast.
Between the two of us, Nicole has lived longer. She will turn 45 next month. She has been a cancer survivor for over two decades. We call each other soul sisters. She loves designing and writing and has started her own business. She loves swimsuits and recently bought a new puppy. Nicole was an assistant with Laurie at Children's Miracle Network for a few years, so she mastered creating, being employed, communicating, and keeping a secret. She has traveled the world and caught joy everywhere she went. When her sister-in-law's husband passed, she was able to keep her head afloat by leading her young women – and her own daughters. Afterwards I heard about the passing of a boy's mom, who was on Max's hockey team two years ago, and Jackson wrote, “Kind, courageous, and loving are a few of the many amazing traits that she had. Her work-ethic, support, and love have helped shape my values and form who I am. I'm so fortunate to have had her as a mom and know that she's touched so many people's lives. I'll miss her so much.” I wished I had been around her more.
