– Marcus Aurelius, Roman emperor
I remember your smile; your face was so welcoming. I met you in Detroit at a couples dinner with the man who would eventually become my husband. You were with your husband. I barely knew all of you but your smile made me comfortable. We talked a bit and you seemed nice, smart, someone I would like to know better. We would go on to have dinner a couple times when I would visit your city. I remember riding to dinner once; we were chatting about “girl” stuff while the guys talked and talked. Again, you seemed so intelligent and friendly. Like one of my girlfriends. A woman I could hang out with, learn from and keep in touch with. Your beautiful dreads framed your face and I remember thinking you looked like a tall, African queen.
You came to my wedding and smiled at me after the ceremony. You gave me a hug and told me to open my wedding gift from you before we left for the honeymoon. Along with a registry gift, you gave us a candle with a scent called Dubai, the destination we were headed to for our honeymoon. I sent you a thank you card a couple weeks later thanking you for being so thoughtful and that I looked forward to seeing you again when I was back in town.
Those are my memories of you. A woman I barely knew but thought well of and wanted to know better. Then you decided you didn’t want to be here anymore. So you chose to leave. I wish I would have reached out to you like I had planned to. I pray that you have peace now. That whatever was painful is gone. That God is cradling you in his arms and comforting you.
I just wanted to acknowledge that although I barely knew you, I saw you. And I wish you hadn’t given up.
R.I.P. S.J.
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