I went to the cemetery to visit my friend who died last year. I don’t know why I physically went to the gravesite. I don’t believe she is there. I don’t claim to know what happens after death, but I know everyone has their own beliefs and opinions. I know that Denice had a strong faith and that she would go to a gravesite to visit her mom. So, I think to honor her, I should do what she would do.

I honestly don’t think her spirit is sitting atop the tree that’s next to her grave responding to the people that come to visit.

Hell, if she was, she’d probably be saying things like, “Go home. It’s too cold to be out here; but quick look at the lady in the stilettos over there. What was she thinking? She’s going to sink right into Mr. Castillo’s grave. See? I told you. Now go home.”

I do think she would get a big kick that one of her neighbors has the name Bruce Wayne. She loved superheroes. She would have really loved it had it been Thor, though. Seriously, any picture of Chris Hemsworth would instantly cheer her up. They were the equivalent to sending me pictures of dogs with their heads out of car windows. 🐶

I love that kid. She was 36. She had so much more to give but there just wasn’t time before her heart gave out. Which is ironic to me. She had the strongest heart of anyone I know. But before I get all soggy, I just wanted to share something that Beth wrote:

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Happy Beautiful Sunday my dear Friend…I have a years worth of stories about you tucked in my heart.

See we didn’t get to meet while you walked this earth but that you’ve been more alive to me than hundreds of people I’ve known because of the love of one special woman we’ve shared.

Melissa loved you larger than life and she has brought you to life with a legacy of storytelling that has made you a gift of joy to me, my family, and my friends…people you never really knew…and, really, that’s the point of life isn’t it, to spread joy?

I’ll be forever thankful to you for the gift of friendship and love that you brought to her life because I love her more than words can express and, if I could, I’d share a piece of tiramisu with you today to celebrate how wonderful friendship is and to honor you for the beauty of your life and your legacy. Instead I think we’ve settled for a bouquet of colored pens because of your love of office supplies but knew you wouldn’t want them to go to waste…