A friend that can make you smile.

"A friend should be one in whose understanding and virtue we can equally confide, and whose opinion we can value at once for its justness and its sincerity." --Robert Hall

Many of us have a friend or two, like the above quote, are just that. Luckily, I have the privilege of many. Some I've known for years, and some we have in the most recent times, discovered this friendship. I am very humbled to have such friendships in my crazy, sometimes hectic, life. I would name them, but what would the point be? They already know how much they each mean to me. Plus, it may take me quite some time to name them all. They all have meanings in my life.

Alas, to in into detail would take even longer. But, one in particular has affected me greatly. Justin Duane Redmon, a little brother of sorts to me. Whom, I loved greatly. Lived seventeen years young, until that fateful December day. Just shy of his eighteenth birthday.

I have many great memories in the short time that I knew him. He was a great personality, always smiling, and putting others before himself. He was greatly appreciated by many who by chance was graced by his presence. That beautiful smile of his, along with those completely adorable dimples, he definitely stole our hearts. It's been over a year now, since December 28, 2011. It still feels like yesterday I found out what happened to the brother I always prayed to have. In all honesty, I don't remember that day or night when they spoke of his death. Figuratively speaking, I blacked out. Everyone has told me repeatedly I stayed strong throughout the whole night, besides the initial shock of it all, I broke down. I didn't sleep for two days straight for fear of waking up from the nightmare. I wished it was only that.

So here I sit, pondering everything he has ever said to me, and it make me stronger. I know God had MUCH better plans for him. I have a Guardian Angel. I can keep smiling even through the hurt.