A year ago, I would have rudely snickered if someone had said you could make genuine, good friends online. Note I ain't laughing about that now. I have developed some real friendships on this forum. You guys are quite a fine bunch, and I appreciate it more than I can say. I've copied many of your posts and emailed them to my sister. They will make her cry, in the good way.
Rocknrollgirl, I am so sorry. I didn't know. You have my total sympathy and well-wishing, as do all the rest of you who have lost parents or others you've loved. There's no easy way. But I'm glad we've gotten to love them.
My mother would be waving her hand at us and saying, "Go, girls--go have some fun now!"
"My predominant feeling is one of gratitude. I have loved and been loved;I have been given much and I have given something in return...Above all, I have been a sentient being, a thinking animal, on this beautiful planet, and that in itself has been an enormous privilege and an adventure." O. Sacks