A Letter To My Little Cousin, Who Left Us Far Too Soon
Relationships

A Letter To My Little Cousin, Who Left Us Far Too Soon

My family lost a wonderful girl three years ago, and we miss her like crazy.

Lauren Oaster
May 22, 2019
Temple University
267
Lauren Oaster

Dear Abby,

May 21st, 2016. A day all of our lives changed for good. Three years. Three whole years without your infectious laugh, smile, and dancing fever. Three years. It hasn't been long, but it's felt like a lifetime. We all miss you more than words.

I think about you every day, and whenever I see any of the Peanuts characters, a princess castle, or hear Let It Go. Frozen was always your favorite, and listening or watching to it now is always accompanied by warm and fond memories of watching you replay your favorite parts over and over and over again.

Sometimes I feel guilty. I think about all the things I have done and am doing, and it reminds me that you'll never get to do them. You didn't have a 16th birthday party, you never learned how to drive, you never went to prom, I'll never see you in a wedding dress, and the list goes on.

And then, I realize that none of that stuff mattered, not to you. To the best of your ability, you never let the quality of your health affect the quality of your life.

I would read Uncle Joe and Aunt Robin's posts in the hospital about singing and dancing with the nurses and making all the other kids laugh even though you were sick too, and that's what was so amazing about you. It's so hard to explain, but you just had this incredibly powerful aura and it was impossible not to smile and laugh and want to get up and dance around you.

15 years with you wasn't enough time, but we made every bit of it count.

It's not fair Abs, it never was. But you know what I always admired about you? You never EVER let it get you down. Even towards the end, every time we walked in to see you, you lit up like a Christmas tree and give us your signature "hey guys!". Anyone that knew you would look forward to that every time they saw you.

So thank you. For showing us what unconditional love is. For showing us that it knows no boundaries, and for making our lives just a little bit brighter during all the time we got to spend with you. You inspire us to do great things and will continue to watch over us.

I really hope you're hosting dance parties every day up there Abs. Thank you for being the best karaoke buddy, thank you for loving us so completely, and thank you for being our “always friend." We miss you.

Love,

The family that misses you way too much

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