Last night I was told that my close childhood friend, JoAnn, had just passed away. Even though I thought I was prepared for it and had had a strange feeling about things with each successive report that came in from the hospital via her family, I wasn't. I was not prepared to hear that JoAnn had passed away.

Early yesterday I had a feeling that I should light a candle for her. After 4 hours it was about halfway burned when I heard that she had passed on. Since that time, the other half of the candle has taken...15 hours to burn. What does it mean if anything?

I slept fitfully last night. The candle was on my altar and Nathan said I kept murmuring in my sleep.

I miss JoAnn. She was hands down the strongest, kindest, and most positive person I have ever known. Even if she is free from pain and suffering now, it's not fair. She was too young to die. It hurts me to think that her entire life was spent with health problems.

Shock has delayed my reaction but I am slowly coming to terms with her death. In time it will hurt less.