Dear Carol, I am sorry for not getting in touch with you sooner. I have spent so long trying to find the perfect thing to say to you, but I realize that there is no "perfect thing" to say. I wish there were words that I could offer to comfort you, but the most comforting statement of all came from you when you said that it is comforting to know that Brooke's heart still beats. That is so true, Carol, but I still can't help but wish that she was still with us. I know that is really selfish since she is in a much better place now. I cannot blame God for wanting her... everyone here still wanted her, too. The pain you are feeling right now I can't imagine. There is not a minute that goes by that Brooke does not come to my mind. You know how special she is to everyone and how much impact she had on everyone's lives that she touched. I wish I would have stayed at the Women's Hospital when I saw you, to visit with Brooke for one last time. If only I had known it would be the last time...a very difficult lesson learned about taking things for granted. It would have been more than worth it to have been a little late for class that afternoon, to have gotten to see her again. I guess it's true that sometimes you don't realize opportunities until they're past, and that is definitely one that I wish I would have not let pass me by. I want to thank you for everything you did for us growing up, letting us hang out together and being so supportive of us in everything that we wanted to do. We had some fun times! Blue Bonnet Drive and Pebbles and Bam Bam....remember the cars? There are so many memories, and I could not have picked a better friend to share them with than Brooke. I will love and miss her always. I would like to visit with you more sometime, but I don't want to be a bother to you. I want you to know that anytime you feel like talking I would love the chance.... you can call anytime. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I mean every word of it and there is so much more. I really hope to hear from you. Love, Wendy You can shed tears that she is gone or you can smile because she has lived. You can close your eyes and pray that she’ll come back or you can open your eyes and see all she’s left. Your heart can be empty because you can’t see her or you can be full of the love you shared. You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday. You can remember her and only that she’s gone or you can cherish her memory and let it live on. You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back or you can do what she’d want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on.