My friend, Paula, died a few days ago from cancer. 44 is too young to die!
We were best friends during my 20s. We met as roommates when I was a sophomore in college and then our friendship took off. We made each other laugh. We supported each other through break ups, heartaches, jobs, laugh fests, and so much more. She was my rock for a very long time. And I learned a lot from her.
I thought it fitting to pay tribute to her and share some things I learned from our friendship. So hear are some things I appreciated about Paula.
Play Dress Up.
Paula loved costumes, theater, and dressing up. I am more of a wear-comfortable-clothing kind of gal. Hanging out with my best friend taught me that dressing up can make you feel special. Put on your favorite outfit, primp and preen, and then go out and have a good time.
It is okay to say, “no.”
Sometimes all you have to do is say, “no”. Explanations are unnecessary. As a matter of fact, Paula and I practiced saying “no” playfully at least 20 different ways, cracking each other up. Here are some examples:
No!
No way, Jose.
I don’t think so!
No can do.
Follow your dreams even if they are big!
Paula wanted to be a dancer on Broadway and instead of wallowing in “what if” as so many of us do, she packed up her bags and headed to the big city and worked on her dream. She auditioned. She took acting and singing classes. She performed in off-Broadway shows. She pursued her passions and eventually danced herself to a whole new dream in the process.
New York City is fun to explore.
Paula moved to NYC as part of her dream and we had the pleasure of exploring the Big Apple. Being a city gal myself, I wasn’t too keen on New York at first as it felt so huge, but with Paula around to guide me, we managed to explore a lot of nooks and crannies whenever I visited. She showed me Central Park, NYU, Astoria, and so many other wonderful places.
Music heals the heart.
Paula adored music. Show tunes. Country. Rock. She had quite the range. And she demonstrated how music heals the heart. When you are happy, listen to happy music. When you are sad, break out the sobbing music that soaks up your tears. No matter what your mood, music will soothe your soul.
It is with sadness that I say goodbye to a friend who carried me through my 20s. I appreciated her support over the years.
Remember:
Play dress up.
It is okay to say, “no.”
Follow your dreams even if they are big.
New York City is fun to explore.
Music heals the heart.
Paula wanted to be a model at one point and we did a photo shoot together as I love taking pictures. Here she is striking a pose in Queens. It seems only fitting to end this blog with a model moment.
For part 2, click here.
If you like this blog, please feel free to share it with others or comment below.
I’m sorry that she didn’t live another 44 years, and I’m pretty sure she would have been an exuberant, outgoing, fun-loving but deep older woman if she had. She was mesmerizing and beautiful, and I’m glad that she found a wonderful husband, and that you had her as your best friend. And glad she had you <3.
Well said, Paris. We had a lot of fun together. 🙂