Radiant Tales: Chapter Twenty-Two

We stood together in a circle. Just my parents and Amber and me. And it was like going to Heaven.

I didn’t want to leave. I didn’t want life change. Half of me wanted to just die right then and there so I wouldn’t ever have to leave that beautiful room. This was the kind of happiness that I have never felt anywhere in my life before. It was happiness because I knew I had made it. After reciting the Young Women’s theme in YW for the past six years, I finally reached my goal to make it there. I’m not married yet . . . we’ll leave that for some other time. But I knew I was where I had always dreamed of being. And I didn’t want to leave. That’s how much I loved it.

But we had to leave.

Two weeks later, I found myself standing in front of my roommates. I know of no words that can describe better how I feel about them than by the simple phrase, “I love them.” Since God cared about one little red-head in Provo, He gave her roommates He knew would care about her, too. Within one semester, He taught her more about the true meaning of charity, patience, sacrifice, love, kindness, and humility.

The day after I moved out, life changed again.

 And this time He taught me about true sisterhood, true love, and eternity. As I watched her hold his hand during pictures, my heart ached for the times she used to hold mine – yes, that place used to be mine. You know, the one right by her side? Sisters have a bond that may be wounded at times, but it can never actually be broken unless you let it. A bond as strong as ours is something I cherish. I watched her smile the happiest smiles I’ve seen in a long time. And if there is anyone who deserves that true happiness, it’s her.

 But I still miss her. I miss being able to jump on her bed early in the morning to wake her up for Christmas. I miss her quick sense of humor that always seemed to help me be less stressed. I miss playing duets with her and goofing off on the piano. I miss bursting into her room, phone in hand, and being able to read her my texts from the first boy I ever really loved. I miss driving around AF and moseying through Macey’s with an ice-cream cone in our hands. I miss sitting by her in Young Women’s and being her partner for . . . well, everything.

I hugged her for what seemed like eternity; a life-long relationship summed up in one moment. Too often I have found myself thinking back to our happiest memories – Disneyland, Scotland, summer picnics, ice skating, car driving, and, yes, even sitting across from her at dinnertime, and I find myself with tears running down my cheeks. In the words of a dear friend, “I no doubt deserve my enemies, but I don’t feel I deserve my friends.”

My best friend has moved on in life. And that’s alright. She’ll be back. Although, I guess she never really left. She only crossed another bridge, and someday, I’m sure our paths will cross again.

And who knows, it might be sooner than I expect.