late last night, i was sitting around counting my blessings and was planning to go to bed soon.

my neighbor came over and was in the mood to talk. conversations got heavy.

"how long does it take to get over the loss of someone you were really close to, oda?"
"5 years." i saw how painful that answer was, '5 more years of this suffering...,' feeling defeated, not knowing how to continue. "but the first year is definitely the hardest. by far."

i lost my sister on october 15, 2000. her name was leyla marin or sheila keating. she used both throughout her life.

it is so hard to lose someone you are truly close with, a person you share with most every day of your life and have done so for decades.

but the pain goes away, maybe not completely 100%, but pretty close. and that void is filled up by strength. then we can count our blessings, because every person who honestly means that much to you IS you. inside you. even now, i still discover ways that my sister is part of who i am, and that does make her alive .

thank you sister...
i love you