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Dear Linda,
I am so glad to have been given the opportunity to get to know you.
You are a truly am azing person. Not only were you a great friend, but you
were a strong leader, someone I deeply admired, respected, and looked
up to. I mean, you may
have been shorter than me, but within that small body was one of the most
honest, sincere, selfless, and determined people I have ever encountered.
I honestly don’t know how it all fit in there. I can still remember the first time I met
you. A shy freshman, I arrived late to a sorority event shortly after pledging.
Feeling a little lost among a crowd of people I didn’t yet know, you took it
upon yourself to talk to me and ensure that I felt comfortable. Your few
words spared me and meant more to me than you probably realized. From that
day on,
it was like you had taken me under your wing. One evening, you were able
to tear me away from my books (admittedly not too difficult a task) to spend
some time with you and some other sisters. Though you called it “stopping by,” promising
we’d still make it to the library to study some that night, we never managed
to crack a book open. Time flew, as we watched the snow fall, ate ice cream,
and got to know one another. After that night, I knew I had made a true friend.
I will never forget you; there are so many memories.
It’s the way we’d get coffee, catching up with each other and trading off paying
the bill because we knew we’d be doing the same thing a week later;
it’s the way we spent almost three days straight watching movies in your room
after finals;
it’s the way we’d go to UniMini to get meatball subs and oatmeal raisin cookies;
it’s the way we’d get ready for formals together;
it’s the way you always managed to look cute, even after hours of not sleeping;
it’s the way we bonded during our trip to Canada;
it’s the way you were obsessed with care bears;
it’s the way you took notes on neon colored paper;
it’s the way we’d stay up late just chatting even though we both had work to
do;
it’s the way we’d make elaborate plans to beautify our apartment;
it’s the way you could convince me to buy purses I didn’t even want;
it’s the way we’d make grilled cheese and tomato soup at three in the morning;
it’s the way you knew exactly how I felt sometimes and just understood me like
no one else did;
it’s the way you always had the answers to my questions;
it’s the way you’d shrug your shoulders and flash that coy smile like you knew
something we all didn’t;
it’s the way you let me know that what was yours was mine too;
and it’s the way you’d hug me and tell me everything was going to be alright.
You had such a great impact on my life and I can only hope that I was able
to return the favor. You are a remarkable person, and I hope you were able to
realize how far-reaching your effects were. I can only hope to keep your spirit
alive by smiling, remembering you, and being as hard-working and caring as you
were.
I will love and miss you always and forever,
Heckman
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