Find me again in another life

I was in 4th grade when my mother decided to let me live with my father because she had to go abroad. My parents separating when I was just in kindergarten surely took a toll on me, I was having a hard time making friends back then, most of the time I was just alone. 

 

But then, I was lucky enough to find friends that have been with me for the past eight years. Our friendship is like a home for me, it provided warmth, comfort and it was filled with love. We were not just mere friends anymore, we are a family and our love for each other is what connects us. 

 

It was December last 2020. I can still remember it so well, we were busy doing a christmas lantern for a contest we participated in.  During those days, my friend Laurence, was often complaining about him feeling sick, we thought he was just simply not feeling well. But when January came, he started going back and forth to the hospital. 

 

Maybe it was because of us being too comfortable with each other or the complacent that things will be okay eventually. Laurence became distant with us as months passed, despite us trying to approach and include him in everything we are planning. He always had reasons and we tried so hard to understand him. 

 

As more days, weeks and months had passed, he began to be thinner and weaker. We began to hold a grudge against him as we felt that he no longer tried to reach out to us. We wanted to know what was really happening, we wanted answers but he never said anything to us.

 

It was killing me slowly seeing how things are falling apart for him, it hurted so much. I wanted to save him, I prayed so hard to God to please take away all the pain he is feeling. But only three days after my birthday last year, he passed away. 

 

It is true that when you lose someone, you hang on to any tradition or thing that you can just so you would still feel that things are still here. What this has taught me is that love is what makes you still alive even after you are gone. Because love is the reason why Laurence is still alive in our hearts.