It was my 34th birthday last Monday!!
I had a lovely day with my love and I received lots of messages but every birthday is the occasion for me to remember a dear friend of mine too, who passed away when she was 24.
It was a cold November afternoon when she decided to say "the end".
She was such a nice person, sweet and funny. And was always there for me.
When we met we were 7 and we were schoolmates. That was a new school for me after moving from Brescia to a small town near Verona. She was the first little girl who came to me and said "Hi, welcome"!
She had several physical problems but she was fine in terms of mind, even if she needed a learning support teacher.
We used to spend our time together, both at lesson and recreation: I loved taking care of her and she loved taking care of me.
That year my mother organized a party for my first birthday in that town and I invited all my schoolmates, including her. It was a natural and obvious gesture to me...but years after, her mother confessed that I was the first one who invited her daughter to a party.
I remember she gave me the best present I had that day: a beautiful Hawaiian Barbie!!
When we grew up we changed school, but met again several years after, when we were 16.
In the meantime she became a good girl, but had a sort of torment inside.
She was unsatisfied, even if she masked her state of mind with a smile and funny things to say.
She probably fell in love with someone who did not return...or realized she was not in love with her-self enough.
The world around her was going on and she didn't find her way.
We used to call each other on the phone, just one ring: it was a sort of "Hello, I'm thinking of you".
That afternoon, when I received the terrible news, I cried so much and I was angry too!!
I was not able to stop thinking about how things could be different
if only I gave her a buzz as we used to and distract her from all those terrible intentions!!
But I didn't.
Every birthday is the occasion for me to think about my friend
Manuela, who was always there for me, who was invited to my 8th birthday and it was a special moment for her because it was her first party.
Every birthday is the occasion for me to remember about Manuela's mother who told me she understood if her daughter was on the phone with me on the basis of her laughs, because I made her happy.
Every birthday is the occasion for me to think about all the nice moments we had together!
R.I.P. my friend and stay close to me!
