I just want to hold your hand

The past few weeks have been absolutely insane, and since before Christmas I have been trying to get my act together to send a package to my dear friend who is living in Africa.  I miss this girl like crazy, and life changed when she decided she was going to join the Peace Corp and live in a 3rd-world country.

From the moment I met her in high school, I idolized her. I wanted to be like her, and always be around her. MelAfrica. For awhile we called ourselves twins. We both have the same shade of brown hair, similar personalities, and share the same name. Hell, we both even played the viola!

At the going away party we threw for her before she left for Africa, she confessed that she was amazed that I wanted to be her friend, after things between her and The Boy fell apart*.  I laughed and told her that I couldn't imagine hating her, as I had always (and will) look up to her. 

Last night, well, this morning really, I had a dream about her.  In it, she was home, entertaining us with stories of helping people help themselves in Africa.  The whole time I was just excited to see her again, that I wanted nothing more than to just sit back and hold her hand.

Shit. Now I'm  all teary-eyed, and I still have to try and write a letter to her. And study. I really need to study.  I hate how dreams can make me feel peaceful and at home, but when I woke up I felt sad and homesick. I know it will probably be only about a year before she's home, but I desperately want a hug from her now.

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*The three of us were friends in high school, and I always had a crush on The Boy. But he was dating MelAfrica, and the summer that they broke up, and I found out he was single, I was all over him like white on rice. :)


(During a summer of adventure in Alaska, she played a prank on a co-worker.  He got back at her by setting her tent up on a piece of floating ice: