I miss you Ina!

This photo was taken exactly 2 years ago... it was our last gimmick with Ina and Victor before they got into the accident the following night. Since that day it hasn't been the same.

It's amazing how you really can't control memories. they just pop here and there. Thankfully I mostly remember the good times... her laugh, her ghetto-ness, dance steps, her voice and her random thoughs, her passion for life and chilling out, how much we used to laugh, how we were always there for each other, the crazy mutual admiration and total love we had for every single girl in the group.

But there are times I wake up in the middle of the night, remembering how we lost her, every single detail of that night and it the emotions just come back full force and I can't control it. I just have to ride the wave every time it happens and pray I'll feel better soon.

One of the gifts Ina has given us when she left is learning how not to stress the small stuff. A bad day, a fight with your boy, laundry colours mixing and staining your clothes, work problems, rude and stupid people, dropping your phone in the toilet (yep it happened to me last Friday!)... these are nothing compared to losing a best friend and sister.

She also taught us that life is too short to be too nice or to try to please everyone, to be with people who don't appreciate you or don't see your true value, to hang on to energy drainers, empty promises and people who won't change. Everyday is a gift and it should be spent working hard on your dreams, taking control of your life and being exactly where you want to be and exactly who you want to be.

You may not be the perfect friend, daughter, girlfriend but as long as you have your priorities straight, you have a good heart and stay true to yourself then you don't need to apologise for being who you are. (* lots of disclaimers here ie as long as you're not hurting yourself and others, etc... but you know what I mean!)

Ina was and is a wonderful best friend, she leaves a legacy and stays with us all. In my philosophy classes, they say that love is stronger than time and space and death, and through Ins, I've found this to be an absolute truth.