life // memories with kyra
2:46 PM
this is the speech i had written for my best friend's home going, who passed away on May 6, 2015.
"i stand before you all today to share a few memories that kyra & i shared."
- the 1st time we met was in ms. gaylor's 4th grade class. i remember you were sitting in the back of the class when you asked ms. gaylor if i could sit by you. she replied saying, "no, because you two will get in trouble from talking too much." & although she tried her hardest to keep us away from each other, we still managed to form an ever lasting friendship.
- remember all of those times we'd be on the phone & you'd tell me that your mom said it was okay to come over? & then when i'd show up with my bags, she'd look down & say, "uh. kyra, come here. who told you i said she could spend the night?" but still, your mom let me stay the entire weekend.
- in 6th grade we met stephanie, our mutual best friend. who we spent more time passing notes too, instead of focusing on our course work. & the days in band, where once again, we continuously got yelled at for talking too much.
- then there was that one time you called me after work to help you design your grandmother's obituary, & you had already been there for 5 hours working on it? little did i know that i'd be there with you an additional 12 hours. we kept giving the fedex people trouble & when they told us the total after being there for almost a full day, we still didn't have all the money we needed. but by the grace of God, we figured it out & was able to give ms. cassandra the best obituaries ever.
- do you remember that time we thought kimora went missing, searched the entire apartment & complex, & then when the police came, they found her in your room laughing behind the curtains?
- which reminds me. i'll miss having dinner with you two on tuesday evenings after her gymnastics practices at the marietta pizza company.
- i'll never forget all the times we use to joke about your driving. how, kimora and I would hold hands and ask God to keep us safe because your driving was ridiculous.
- or the day i graduated from my undergraduate studies & you drove all over the world because you forgot where the ceremony was. you made it as soon as i was heading out the door to my dinner...your lateness i will never forget.
we'd always joke that every time we got together, something crazy just had to happen.
& these memories only scratch the surface of everything we've been through.
throughout your entire stay in icu i kept praying to God that he keep
you safe & bring you back home to us. i kept thinking to myself that
i need my best friend to get better, to come back home & spend time
with her family (especially her daughter). the day you called me
telling me that you were scared to go under was the last day i actually
got to see & hear you up & alert. i never got to tell you that i love you. & you never knew that i came to see you those few times during your stay.
when you passed, i asked God, "did i not pray enough? did i not say the right things during my prayer?" i just couldn't believe that you were really gone. then i realized that during the 16 years we have known each other, i am glad to say that we shared so much time together. because although many of us know so many people, how much time have we actually spent with them? & do we really know their true self? you & i knew each other inside & out. we were fam[ily]. you were more of a sister than my bff.
when you passed, i asked God, "did i not pray enough? did i not say the right things during my prayer?" i just couldn't believe that you were really gone. then i realized that during the 16 years we have known each other, i am glad to say that we shared so much time together. because although many of us know so many people, how much time have we actually spent with them? & do we really know their true self? you & i knew each other inside & out. we were fam[ily]. you were more of a sister than my bff.
i'll always love you.
..may you rest in peace.
a special thank you to my friends, coworkers & various people who know how close kyra & i were.
i have shared so many stories about kyra prior to her passing, that i didn't realize how many people saw how special she was to me.
when she got sick, they asked about her status daily & even offered to help out anyway they could. thank you for your kind words, cards, flowers & emails. thank you for all the times you all told me to stop what i was doing & leave to go be with her. i will forever remember how generous & sympathetic everyone was during my time of grief.
thank you.
thank you.
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