How I found out what family really is

<--That's Billie and Ms. Liz

This week has been a really hard week for my high school friends. I learned this week what family means. It isn't someone (or a group of "someones") you share DNA with or are "married in to". A family is a group of people who stick by you no matter what. It's those people who will drop anything at any time for you. My friend Billie Ford's mom died monday morning (Oct. 19) from a 3 year battle with breast cancer. Billie is a fun, loving, hilarious, strong, determined, beautiful girl. Her smile will light up a room and her energy is contagious. Her mom was the exact same. Her mom was "one of the girls". Billie's dad died when she was 4 then it was her and her mom. They became really close and Liz (Billie's mom) never remarried. Monday morning Billie found her mom dead. I went to her house and so did a lot of other kids I graduated with. I have heard people this week say "Billie is all alone now she doesn't have a family" (she and her aunt/uncles are not close at all) but I say that's not true. She has a family- a really big family. Kids I graduated with left their universities or jobs this week to come be with Billie. People came from TTU, MTSU, Belmont, Lipscomb, UTC, UTK, UT Martin, Jackson State. We all came back home because someone in our "family" was hurting. A lot of us have gone to school together for 14 years. I graduated from a small private school- a class of 51.I know that if Billie ever needs anything someone will be there and my guess is that it will be more than one someone. I knew we were all close in high school but this week has shown me that just because we may be all over the southeast doesn't stop us from being there for a member of our precious "family". Billie is on my mind every day and I know she is on plenty of other peoples minds. I continue to pray for Billie all day every day. I know she will be ok because in her own words at the funeral "I will be ok because my mamma wanted me to be". This week has taught me what is most important in my life. I love my friends and would do anything for them.