My friend Annie

My friend Annie told me today that she is moving. Sure, she is only moving an hour and fifteen minutes away, but five minutes feel like an eternity when all I have to do is turn my chair around whenever I want to share a moment with her. I was trying hard not to cry when she made the announcement, but it was really hard to hold back the tears.

Annie is a friend, a sister, a mother figure, and an inspiration to me. I look at her, and I know that the work day will just be a-OK as long as we have each other. She believes in me, and tells me that I am up to great things... She makes me believe in myself, even at times when it is hard to think through the day. She sometimes has to give me a kick in the behind when I am too hard on myself, and I love her even more on those days. Not many people can be truthful when faced with difficult decisions, but she always says it like it is. 

She likes to ask me rhetorical questions I have no answer to, which used to drive me nuts, but now make me smile. She calls me "Jerk" , because deep down she really loves me. She makes me pull pranks on people, and I proudly call myself her minion. She makes me laugh with her sometimes unintended jokes. 

I am not quite sure what I will do once she leaves town... To be honest, I am not sure I am ready to think about it, so maybe I won't, at least for now...