Dear Dr. Laura,
I want to thank you so much for the insight you provide all of us listeners. My wife first introduced your show to me a couple years ago and we often find ourselves tackling issues by asking "What would Dr. Laura say?"
I am an active duty military member, and my wife has an unmatched strength only military wives possess. Eight years of marriage and military life has brought a unique set of struggles we have had to overcome, and I couldn't have picked a better partner for the journey.
I am writing you because recently, my wife's best friend passed away. My wife is the kindest person I have ever met, which usually leads to the friends she does make taking advantage of her until the friendship breaks down entirely. This friend was different though. Her husband and I worked together and we had been talking about getting our families together for months until he admitted to me that his wife had a hard time getting along with most women. I told him I was actually being apprehensive as well because my wife had a tendency to have a hard time making friends. We agreed to get together for a trial run with no expectations of a lasting friendship. They immediately hit it off, and became best friends pretty much over night.
A year passed and we spent most weekends together. We even took a family vacation together. All was well until last summer. I don't want to bore you with the details, but there was a falling out. We often referred to the event as the "breakup." My wife and I talked a lot about if there was any way to make it work again and stubbornly came to the conclusion that it was obviously over for a good reason.
Two weeks ago, there was a turn. My wife got an email from her old friend. It was an apology. She deeply regretted being so stubborn and wanted desperately to make amends. We planned to meet them for dinner on Sunday, but the Friday night before she was hit by a car. We received the call and rushed to help. My wife spent two days with her friend in the hospital, and on Sunday night, an embolism that had been slowly making its way through her body finally reached her brain. She passed away Monday morning. My wife was terribly upset, but she told me the next day, "I am so thankful she reached out me. I would have regretted not talking to her for the rest of my life. She gave me such a wonderful gift by reaching out to me when she did." I wanted to tell you this story because I learned something that I feel you would have said if my wife had called you for advice...Don't be stubborn. Don't be scared. Take the leap. Call your friend. Tell her that you love her.
Very Respectfully,
Jim
