Happy Born Day, Chica

So today...my homegirl would've been 29 years old. 


It's pretty ironic how much you find yourself remembering when someone leaves you before what you think their time should be. You may remember my bittersweet ode to the loss of my friend a few months back. Some of you who are reading this may find it interesting how much her passing affected me, particularly when you consider that I had cut her off, as I have with other friends-of-the-moment. 


But my chica was no friend of the moment. She was a friend, even when we weren't speaking. I didn't realize that...until she was gone. It always happens that way, doesn't it?

Elie Tahari's 'Tan Fierce' Shoe (her fave designer)

And to me, that is the true definition of a friend. One of the things about my chica that I will never forget is her overwhelming sentimentality when it came to the celebration of a birthday. Before her, birthdays were...ok...I celebrated them, but not really. With my birthday being so close to Christmas, I always got 'lost in the sauce', so to speak, but my chica treated every birthday as if it were a national holiday...and it eventually rubbed off on me. Before long, I was celebrating birthdays in grand style. I still do. She did, indeed, teach me the value of that. She also taught me about shoes. Now, if you know me, then you know that I love me a good shoe. Always have. My chica taught me how to appreciate a flyyyyyy shoe, as opposed to a fly shoe. She would also encourage me to pay myself 'first', something that I definitely did not do often. (Still don't. Not like I need to.)


Now, again, this is not to say that life with my chica was all fun and games. Part of the challenge when two passionate people become friends is that the passion from each side threatens to over take each other. I learned a lot about myself from the time I turned 20 to my current 28 years...and every year was an evolution from me. With my chica, her process was a bit slower...and eventually, it came down to leaving her behind so that she could grow. From what I learned...she definitely did. It is true that sometimes, you have to walk away from someone for them to become the person that they need to be. I just wish that I would've made that call when I got the urge to. I'm pretty proud of her evolution. Just wish I could've told her so. 


Well, anyway. Today, I've gotta find a way to go drop off some calla lilies and pralines for my friend for her birthday. Maybe I'll grab some Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon for her, too. I'm sure He won't mind if I leave her some. She always appreciated a good red wine. 

Rest in peace, my chica. And happy birthday. =oD 

Posted in: birthday, friendship, loss, pralines, Robert Mondavi, Tahari