I found out a week ago that a high school girlfriend of mine
had died. My Dad sent a link to her obituary.
I feel so sad that I didn’t know that she was even sick, she died of
cancer. We sent each other Christmas cards for many years but stopped a few years
ago. It was probably on my end, I haven’t been very good at getting them out in
recent years. Around that time a lot of
people my age also got Facebook accounts and kept track of people more often
that way. I still do not have an account of my own as my husband and I share
his. It has always been mostly to keep in touch with immediate family.
I wish I would have known that Ginny was so sick. I would
have contacted her and prayed for her and let her know that I valued her
friendship over the years. I know that she was a believer and that should give
me comfort, but I feel I failed her as a friend.
The last time I saw Ginny was at a high school reunion, the
twentieth I think. The “neighborhood” girls mostly came without their husbands
as none were from the area and wouldn’t know anyone. We stayed at Ginny’s
parents large townhouse that had beds for six or more. It was like a slumber
party for 40 year olds and was very fun. We all still liked each other! Ginny
was a fun person and had many girlfriends. She loved to sing and always
participated in the school musicals but never landed one of the coveted lead
parts and I remember that was a disappointment to her. Ginny was the president
of a girl’s club called Z club I think and I participated in that with her. She
was on the drill team that was such a big deal at our high school. She was just
a normal girl and she had a pretty smile.
I was also acquainted with two of her girl cousins who lived
just a couple houses away. I probably spent a lot more time with them but Ginny
was definitely in my neighborhood group. I will always be grateful to them all
for letting me in when I moved into the neighborhood in fifth grade. They had
all lived there since early grade school. There were a whole bunch of girls my
age within a few blocks, Lauren, Ginny, Ann, Carey, Sarah, Michaela, Margie,
and Bronwyn. I Thank God for those girls who helped me feel accepted during those
awkward, gangly, acne faced, junior high years. None of us were popular but we
sure had a lot of fun at those crazy sleepovers and at the many football and
basketball games we attended on into high school.
I never lived in Omaha again, after my college years in
Kansas I moved out west. Ginny started college in Texas and then transferred
back to finish at NU in Lincoln where she met and married her husband and then
moved to S. Sioux City, Nebraska where he was from. Those Christmas cards I
received told me the story of her two daughters being born and her teaching
career with special needs children. I knew that she was very involved in her
church and with local singing groups. I knew that her husband became a judge and she was proud
of him. I knew that she had become a grandmother in recent years too. I just
didn’t know about her battle with cancer.
I am sorry Ginny for losing touch. My children should learn
a lesson from me, keep in touch with your friends and tell them that you care.
