OneHundredSeven.

Loss...

I've known loss in my life. I've lost friends and family to death and differences. I've mourned. I've shed tears and felt pain, but I've never felt such sorrow as I feel right now at the news of Mrs. Linda Peterson passing away.

Mrs. Linda had a smile that could light up a room. I know people have said that many times before but when Mrs. Linda smiled, so did everyone within earshot because her smile came with a full-belly laugh. She was one of the most positive, optimistic people I've ever met-no matter what the situation was. No matter how bad something got, she had a solution or a way of relating it to something ridiculous that made you laugh and forget what was wrong.

She never spoke down to anyone and when she spoke to you, you had her complete attention. She never gave you less than 100% and along with that 100% came more wisdom than I've ever experienced in my entire life. She was an endless wealth of knowledge. I still remember her saying 'Never lend anyone more than you can afford to lose,' whenever anyone asks me for anything. And whenever I'm not sure about something I can hear her saying 'Go on, miss New York.'

Mrs. Linda touched so many people, some from North Carolina and some just passing through, and now we're mourning all over the country. New York, Illinois, Missouri, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia. She always used to call us her kids, and now we've all lost someone who was like a mother to us at one point or another.

I hope that when my time comes, I have people who care as deeply for me as Mrs. Linda does. I can only dream to touch as many lives as she did so effortlessly. When people remember me, I hope they smile. And I hope that they can say they'll never forget me, just like I'll never forget Linda Peterson.

I miss those spicy pickles. And

hearing you talk about getting

toasty, because you didn't like

the word drunk. And hearing

you practically sell ice to an

Eskimo. And I miss all of these

things because they were a part

of you. I know it's been a while,

but I miss you. Always.

-Amanda 'Meagan' <3