One just never knows how life will turn out

In high school I excelled at writing notes to friends. 
You know, the she-said-he-said kind you write in one class, 
and then pass them on to a friend in the hallway as you are going to your next class. 
Probably our version of today's text messages.

Then we would go home and call these same girlfriends, 
or write more notes to bring to school the next day. 
Some may have considered this a waste of our time. 
Most likely our teachers felt this way. 
Looking back, 
I think I got quite the education in people, my most very favorite subject of all.

I even saved pages and pages of these notes. 
They meant too much to me to just throw them away.

One of my closet friends back in the day (my jr and sr year of high school) was Sheryl Brundage. 

She loved to write notes back and forth as much as I did
(sorry, these yearbook pictures of us didn't scan very well)

We had lots of phone calls and sleep overs. 
I even remember a beach trip with her family.

Our friendship began changing in our Jr year when she got a boyfriend.
She began eating lunch with him more often than with me.
Then after graduation we lost touch through the years. 
I think I only saw her twice through the years since then.

Then a few weeks ago I joined a Facebook group all about our upcoming 40th HS reunion. 
One day I was shocked to read that Sheryl Brundage Tenison was put on hospice for breast cancer. 
Then the very next day she died. I had no idea she was even sick!

Sheryl and I were very close back in the day. It is so sad to me that we didn't stay that way. 
I wish I could have been there for her. 

This morning Den and I attended her Memorial Service.
Many speakers, but my favorite was by her son Ryan.
He talked about 2 things his mother taught him 
that helped both him and his brother socially, and professionally:

To look people in the eye when talking to them.  
and
To treat others as they would want to be treated.


Here's a little excerpt from one that Sheryl wrote to me.
Keep in mind we were both only 16.

This "boyfriend" she was mentioning, 
she ended up marrying him shortly after graduation!
And they were close to celebrating their 40th anniversary when she died.



10 comments:

Heather said...

I'm sorry for the loss of your friend. It sounds like you have some sweet memories of her.
Every time I see a picture of you from your childhood I think how much Tea looks like you!!!!

Anonymous said...

I love this post. Were those your senior pictures? I bet you were the best friend EVER. I would have liked to have been your friend in high school. I love how loyal you were and are. I have been shocked to see how many of my high school classmates have died. They are still stuck in my memory as teenagers, and it just doesn't compute that they could be senior citizens. (We're all in our mid-60s now). Sounds like your friend had a good life. Thanks for sharing this.
darlene

Anonymous said...

And leaving comments on each other's blogs is just a mature version of passing notes in school, no?
darlene

Grandma Honey said...

Darlene...Never quite thought of it that way, but I have to agree! I love the connection.

Oh and yes, those were our senior pictures. I still picture many of much of my graduation class just as they were in HS. I think it's going to be a shock to see them at the reunion next month looking like grandparents. But then on 2nd thought, they better look like grand parents because I sure do.

And what's really fun is this reunion will be on campus and I haven't been back since graduation. Some of the teachers will be there too. Don't know how they found them!

Anonymous said...

That was one of your best posts I have ever read. Thank you I loved how I was touched as I read. Friendships are Gods way of angels appearing in front of our own eyes. Love Jay

Connie said...

Such a beautiful post. Your friend's note is so true. I had my 40h reunion last year! There were some people who honestly hadn't changed over the years! Then others...

I'm glad you were able to go to your friend's memorial service. We just never know.

Susan Anderson said...

Sorry you lost your friend, but you have saved some wonderful memories.

I wish I had stayed in touch with more of my friends from high school. Thankfully, I do have a handful of my best ones.

=)

grandmapeg said...

I'm sorry for the loss of your friend. Even though we may not stay in touch with those close friends over the years, they each still hold a special spot in our hearts and from time to time, we have flashbacks of the great times we had with them. You can tell we grew up in the same years because my senior picture is similar, the hairstyle and all.

Karen Mortensen said...

Sorry for your loss. I am so glad you were friends and had some good memories.

Eileen said...

This post is both sad and beautiful. I'm sorry about your friend, but I'm glad you both had each other in your lives for awhile, and that it was such a special and important relationship.

It's hard to believe, that young, beautiful girl, already gone. Life just can't pass that quickly. It boggles the mind.

Love and Prayers,
Eileen
PS ~ You know, Jill, to me, your yearbook picture looks so much like your daughter-in-law Amy!

Look what happened last night

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