Nikki

This picture is of my sister and my friend Nikki at PGH over the summer. Nikki is the type of friend that you always want to be around. She is outgoing and always has a joke and a smile. She is always in motion. She is the perfect protagonist to my antagonist self. She understands my sarcasm like no one else. She has become part of our family.
Nikki and I met when we both taught Middle School English two years ago. She has since moved on to teaching Drama and 8th grade English elsewhere and I moved to the library. We still remain close friends and often go out to get sushi or dinner. Yesterday evening, I got a phone call from Nikki telling me that she was in the hospital with Bacterial Meningitis. She was admitted on Saturday and didn't want to bother me because of the wedding. I went and saw her tonight. I think that this was the first time that I've seen her still.
What do I do in times of stress? I knit. And knit. And think of Nikki. The socks I'm knitting are going to be a gift for her, but they are a kind of therapy for me. These are socks crafted of tears, happy memories, thankfulness, and hope.