My Besties Are Gone

Two of my closest friends seven years of my life were The Reel Twins, Barb and Bev. We were besties from the sixth grade through graduation. We went to MYF (Methodist Youth Fellowship) together every Sunday night. We had many sleepovers together. Barb and I were roommates at a summer Journalism Institute at IU Bloomington for two weeks. We worked closely together on the WigWam (yearbook). We hung out together at the Miramar Swim Club every summer. I always remembered their birthday, November 19. I don't know why, because I never remembered anyone else's. College separated us and we went on our individual paths of careers, marriages, divorces, children, and grandchildren. Decades later we found each other via email and 'reconnected'. Although we never saw each other again, we 'talked' via the keyboard and it was quite fun, until Bev became ill with COPD. What a loss when she passed away. Barb and I commiserated the loss via our keyboards. It was like I had lost an arm. Just a few months ago, Barb wrote that she wasn't feeling well. Soon she learned that she had cancer. We once again spent hours writing each other until she became too weak to go to her computer (in her basement.) I didn't want to consider that was a sign of what was to come. Today, I learn that I have lost my other arm. I will miss your emails, Barb. You handled your illness just as you handled the other 'mountains' in your life.....with class. You were beautiful, classy and so very sweet. You will be missed by so many....especially me.