The Last Gift Jill Gave Us

We never imagined it would take losing Jill to bring us back together.

Maybe that was her final gift to all of us- a reminder to reconnect, laugh until our stomachs hurt, hug a little longer, and never take lifelong friendships for granted.

Some losses don't feel real because the memories still feel so close. When I learned that Jill had passed away, I found myself thinking about how strange time can be. High school still feels like yesterday. In my mind, we're all still young, convinced there will always be another chance to catch up.

Yesterday, so many of us gathered to celebrate Jill's life. Friends traveled from all over the country. Some of us hadn't seen each other in years and then something incredible happened. Within minutes, we weren't forty-somethings balancing careers, families, and responsibilities. We were simply us again. The same personalities. The same inside jokes. The same dynamics. It was almost comical. Someone would say something and we'd all laugh because..."Oh my gosh...that is so you."

Twenty-six years disappeared in an instant.

One of our friends now works at our old high school and was able to get permission for us to walk the halls again. Jill's sister, Gwen, joined us, and every classroom, every hallway, every staircase unlocked another story.

"This is where we decorated for Homecoming."

"Remember practicing with the pep band?"

"Oh my gosh...remember the smell of the football players in this stairwell?"

It sounds silly, but that's how memories work. One familiar hallway and suddenly you're sixteen again.

We weren't remembering events.

We were remembering how we felt.

The excitement. The nerves. The friendships that helped shape who we would become.

And then reality would quietly settle back in.

Jill wasn't walking beside us. I'll always remember her energy, her laughter, and the countless memories and life lessons we shared growing up together. She had such a unique role in our group, and even though she wasn't physically there, somehow she was part of every conversation.

That's what grief does. It reminds you that love doesn't disappear. It changes form.

I've written for years about the Power of Transparency because I believe our greatest lessons often come from the moments we'd never choose for ourselves. This week reminded me of something I don't want to forget. Use the loss of someone you love to reflect on your own life.

Who have you been meaning to call?

Who do you keep saying you'll get together with "someday"?

What relationships deserve more than a text saying, We should do this more often?

Jill left this world far too soon. Her memory is a beautiful reminder to tell the people we love how much they matter while we still can.

Yesterday wasn't just a celebration of Jill's life. It was a reminder to all of us to truly live our own.

Rest easy, my friend. Thank you for being part of a chapter of my life I'll always treasure. ❤️