Sunny
I received a card in the mail recently from the mom of one of my childhood friends. In the card were a number of photos from when I was little, along with some correspondence I had sent to her daughter over the years. Flipping through the old (Polaroid!) photos was sweet, and in many of them, we were standing next to each other holding hands.
Sunny and I had a lot of fun living next door to each other. Summertime was the best, and every year we’d slip into the same daily routine. I would sit by the phone in the morning, and wait until it was 9 am (I had to wait until 9 am, according to my mom). At 9:01 I would call her on the phone to see if she could play. She always said yes. I’d walk over to her house, and we’d find something to do. Eventually, though, drama would appear over something completely non-dramatic. Nine times out of ten, she’d get angry, I’d get defensive, and she’d tell me to leave. Most of the time, we’d find each other later in the day and keep playing as if nothing had happened. Sometimes, though, we wouldn’t talk until the next day. I’d sulk around my house, fuming that she should call and apologize… but by morning, I always caved in. Like clockwork, at 9:01 I would call and ask if she wanted to play. She always said yes.
Our friendship mirrored our summers – up and down, but always solid. Life’s events would take us to different cities, but we never lost touch. I loved her as if she was my sister.
Sunny died in 2014 of colon cancer. Her diagnosis had taken everyone by surprise, and while she lived longer than predicted, she still died much too soon.
I remember when Sunny was first diagnosed with cancer. We spent long hours on the telephone talking about all of the various tests involved or the many doctors she could bring onto her treatment team. Sometimes we’d talk about her frustration, fear, and uncertainty, but we always talked about our endless summers together. There were so many stories to laugh about, but there were also lingering unexplained hurts. We talked about it all. I always thought Sunny liked to argue, and was surprised to learn that she didn’t. In fact, she shared that she usually felt badly after I went home, worried I wouldn’t call again to play. But, I always did.
Message of the Day: While relationships may change over time, some friendships really will last a lifetime. The ones that do are bound by trust and honesty. I miss my friend, but find her daily by retelling our stories over and over and over…
Melissa, what a touching story and a beautiful way to honor her memory and the special friendship you two shared. I am sorry for the loss of your friend. Your closing message is so lovely. Thank you for sharing this!
Thank you for your good wishes, and for reading along …
Sad and sweet. <3
Thank you, Cathi!
This says a lot about the kind of friend you are: awesome.
You are too kind… and a pretty awesome friend yourself, dearie! 😉 Thank you for reading along!!
Keep telling these stories.
I will keep telling them if you keep reading them…! 🙂
Beautiful. Similarly, I count our friendship as one of my most valuable possessions. Love ya!
To the moon and back…
That was so beautiful Melissa! I can completely relate having gone through something do similar.😘😘
Yes, I know you can…. and I know that you miss your friend, too, every day. Thank you for reading along!!
That was beautiful. My mom lost her best friend Sonni at the age of 40 to Breast cancer. That was in 1980. They were friends since childhood. I believe my mom still misses her everyday. I am sorry for the loss of your friend.
That’s quite a coincidence with the similar names… Sonni and Sunny… Thank you for your comments and for reading along!
This is my story with Cheryl B. Your description of waiting to call on the phone to make plans made me smile. I know exactly that feeling, each summer day after day in elementary school. Thank you for sharing this sweet story of school girl friendship. The genesis of drama, beginning of problem solving, and start of life-long friendship. xoxox
Cheryl B? It’s cool to picture other little girls by their phones, too, waiting for that call every summertime morning. Thank you for reading along!
That’s a sweet story. Relationships are tough and the ones that last through the ups and downs are certainly special. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, Sid!!