I never thought of the end
Or even the beginning
Some people just fall into your life
And you’re never grateful that they never leave

You didn’t know, no
You didn’t know we loved you
You didn’t know, no
You didn’t know we needed you

We didn’t mean to forget
We just didn’t know how to say
All the words you were never afraid of
All the words we’re thinkin’ today

You didn’t know, no
You didn’t know we loved you
You didn’t know, no
You didn’t know we needed you

And now our hearts
They’re breakin’
And now, my God,
You’ve been taken
You didn’t know, no
You didn’t know we loved you
You didn’t know, no
You didn’t know we needed you

You didn’t know I loved you, no, no
You’ll never know I needed you
You didn’t know I loved you, no, no
You’ll never know I needed you

You didn’t know, no
You didn’t know we loved you
You didn’t know, no
You didn’t know we needed you

This is definitely dedicated to someone.  My family moved to Tyrone, Georgia from St. James, New York when I was ten years old.  My family had an entire life back there, family, friends, and when we got here, we were all alone.  When we met the Conger family, we learned their names through the Tyrone Softball Association.  My dad and Lori coached together for my sister and Lori’s daughter, Kelsey.  Katherine, Woody’s daughter, and I were close in age as well.  Lori and Daddy became close, then my father and Woody and my mother and Lori, Kelsey and my sister, Katherine and I.  Throughout the years we all became a sort of tight knit family.  Katherine and I never talked every day, but still we say we’re soul sisters, and we share each other’s black sheep nuances.  My dad, when he started his business, started it in a building office of Woody’s and Lori’s business.  My parents and the Congers spent almost every day together.  Lori and my father went through cancer together.  We became family.

Lori passed away June 30th, 2009.  This woman was a saint, an angel, and a mother to me.  She always held her head high, no matter the rain pouring upon her, and every time I saw her, she could bring a smile to my face.  “Kimberly, you are so beautiful, and I am so proud of you,” were the last things she said to me, holding a Coors Light can in one hand, and a cigarette in the other.  I still don’t know how we lost our Lori, but her death brought us all back together, and made this small town throw down every grudge in order to come together for her.  It was beautifully sad.

I miss Lori more than I could ever explain to someone.  I still don’t feel like it’s real, but this was my attempt to accept her death into my soul and feel it’s loss, and damn, it hurts.  Lori, if you’re up there, and you can feel this, know that I loved you more than anything.  We all loved her more than she ever knew.  Her insecurities were so trivial, and what she felt were flaws, made her beautiful.  All of the sorry’s and niceties and OCD cleaning habits made that woman one of the best people I’ve ever known.  I just wish she had seen it too.