MY BIRTHDAY WON’T BE THE SAME THIS YEAR.

In 1991, I remember a funeral notice for a workmate of my father’s that read “Pipia, Helmut Friedrich Franz. Loved husband of Beverley….” And the concluding note was, “Sleeping peacefully, free from pain, We would not wake him to suffer again.”

I have had a friend on social media for over six years, who would post a message, “Good Morning, World. Take care as I care,” or words to that effect, and she would send me birthday greetings every year. I even had a video call with her to help her granddaughter out with something on social media. She had said I was a nice person.

Earlier today, I received the sad news that my friend had passed away in her sleep. Okay, she had battled COPD for the past number of years, and had recently been diagnosed with throat cancer that had spread. I feel sad that this has happened to her and I have seen many people die of smoking related diseases.

I will miss seeing my friend on social media, and I am sad that she died before my birthday, but I would like to take the same passage and apply to it my friend, that she is, “Sleeping peacefully, Free from pain, I would not wake her, To suffer again.” I would love for her to still be alive, but not to be struggling to breathe and not to be affected by throat cancer. So, it is a happy release and I will still think of her on my birthday but think, “She would want me to be happy and enjoy the day.”