I had a friend die today. An old co-worker really, but a friend none the less. I don’t normally let people in that close, and certainly don’t hold just anyone in high esteem. But she was well deserving of being put on a pedestal. She managed a group of people at work, some of them with interesting attitudes. Truck drivers work long hard days without much sleep from day to day. Their fuses can be short and they are mostly underpaid. But she managed these drivers for about 10 years. Never once did I hear a bad word form any of them about her. In fact, as the pool of drivers grew and had to be moved out to other leaders, she had some that refused to leave her. She was fair, kind, and remembered people. Remembered their birthdays, anniversaries, and made it a point to reach out to them on those days. 
	So one day I hear she had cancer. I didn’t work the same shift she did, but there was some overlap as I ended my day by 8am, and she came in after 6am. Working nights I didn’t get much time with the day shift people. The relationship with that shift never really got connected for a long time. Which is unusual for me, as I tend to work that pretty well. I’m not sure what she said to the others, or what kind of conversations she had with that shift, but she changed it for me. Immensely. I found out from other co-workers that she was pretty nervous and scared about her upcoming treatment. I asked to have them send her over to see me when she got in. Being I had been through this before, I was able to answerer a lot of her questions and calm her fears. Being I was off during the day, I offered to go with her to treatment if she was ever without someone. We became good friends after that, and with the rest of the first shift staff. I can only believe that the change was because of her. But that would be like her. She let her feelings out to people. Cancer is such a nasty nasty thing. I will miss her greatly. 
	It really makes one think. I hadn’t talked to her for a couple of months. I didn’t even know that a spot showed up on her lung recently. I had no idea her remaining time with us was so short. Why was I so passive about staying in touch, making sure that she knew I was out there and she was on my mind sometimes. I feel as though I let her down. It would have been such a small thing on my part, to put a big smile on her face one more time. Maybe it's just for my benefit. Maybe she just deserved it. 
	You know, it takes so little to do something for someone else. To reach out. To make a phone call. To let them know, hey I’m thinking of you, and you are important to me. I thought I was pretty good at that. This time I failed a friend. 
	I pester people sometimes. I try to keep track of birthdays. Call my parents regularly. I randomly send messages to others for their birthday, and on special holidays, like Christmas, Easter. Really anytime something else I run across fits someone's personality, I reach out. I'm sure that I’m not the only one to ever feel this way or be in this position. We all have a cell phone and I just don’t know anyone that doesn’t text. Sending a text to someone is only 10 seconds of your day. That's all the pain you will have to endure. The pleasure you can bring to the person that receives it from you, will it might last them all day. So I urge you, keep track of the people in your life. Tell them you love them. Put birthdays on your calendar. Reach out to people by text, Facebook messenger, a phone call, anything, and for any reason. I can’t remember a single time where I wished I didn’t. I can only remember the times I didn’t, and wish I did.