Sassy's Up Late Again

I had a bit of a shock this weekend... my old friend Kate died on Friday night. I hadn't seen her since we graduated college, but I found her on Facebook a few months ago. Her first husband and I are also friends. He posted about her passing on Saturday morning. It's just so shocking. She was probably 38, with kids around the same ages as mine plus a younger brood from her second marriage. She had a stroke on Tuesday night and was in a coma. They diagnosed her with Leukemia on Wednesday, and she died on Friday night. So quickly--how could someone be feeling fine one day and dead just 3 days later?

Kate was the type of girl who always had a smile on her face. I recall one day she was very upset about something and started to cry--even through her tears she found a way to smile. She was so loving and nurturing, even as a young woman when most of us are far too self-indulgent to be that way. I really, genuinely liked her. And now she's gone, without having a chance to kiss her kids goodbye, or tell her husband her wishes for their family. It's so scary that it could happen so quickly to someone who thought she was healthy. It serves as a reminder to live every day of your life, not just endure it... I spend so much time making plans that involve moving on beyond the here and now, sometimes I forget to cherish what I have.