I was on my break at the pool when i got a text message from one of my best friends. It was only five simple words, "Did you hear the news?" I felt the air being vacuumed from my lungs. I knew instantly what they meant. I could barely type back, to ask who it was. As I stared at her name on my phone screen, I could not believe the letters I saw. No. It couldn't be true, it just, it just couldn't. In the back of the skating rink, located under ugly fluorescent bulbs that made it impossible to take a decent snap chat, was the snack bar. The snack bar was a witness to so many important things in my life. It was my first job, and where I met my best friends.

It was where I cried when I had my heartbroken, laughed, and stuck hug me stickers on her back. It was where I received the best advice of my life, and where I knew I could say anything without being reprimanded. The snack bar offered no judgment, only openness. It offered all of these things because of the woman who ran it. Many people would describe her as a tough old bird, but I knew better. Underneath her sometimes stern exterior, was one of the most extraordinary women I ever met. I won lots of gold medals in that skating rink, but none of them shined brighter than her heart, and none of them meant as much if I didn't skate down there as fast as I could after pictures to receive my celebratory hug from her. I knew her my whole life. When I was little, I was scared of her, but as I grew older, she became one of my dearest friends. She offered me advice on life, love, and snow cones, whether I asked or not. She was the queen of the snack bar, and the old five gallon bucket was her throne.

She was there through the worst times of my life, and the best. For some reason, I always thought she would be around the longest. She loved to talk about her Jonesie, and complain about the level on candy crush she was stuck on for months. She always took the time to care about each and every one of us. I knew when she asked me about school, or told me to stop crying over a boy, that he wasn't worth it, that every word she spoke was sincere. She was the most sincere, honest, and kindhearted person I have ever met, even if she liked to pretend she wasn't. She is in every memory I have of the skating rink. She was there my first day of my first job, when she yelled at a woman for being mean to me. She was there through every won event, every lost event, and every fall, laugh, tear, and bruise in between. She knew every single secret I had, and let me cry on her shoulder. She also let me (unbeknownst to her at the time) stick a hug me sticker on her shoulder.

I laughed so hard as people came up and hugged her that day. I wish i could give her one more hug now. I wish I had spent more time on a pickle bucket this summer, because now it is to late to. There are so many things I didn't get her advice on. My heart is breaking, and I am angry, angry that she left, angry I didn't get to say goodbye, angry that now a beautiful diamond will no longer get to be admired, and angry and sad that future generations of skaters won't have the chance to grow up with her wisdom. I have learned so much from her, and I would give anything to hear her say, "Oh get over it!" One more time.

I am sorry I don't have anything better to give you than my clumsy words, when you meant so much to me. The snack bar, the skating rink, and my life, will never be the same. You have touched me, and so many other people. We miss you already. I love you, Ursula. Thanks for everything. (Don't worry, I promise not to use two flavors on the snow cones.)