When your spouse dies, you're a widow. But when your best friend dies, there isn't even a word for it.

Laura and Lisa met when they were three years old. They were best friends for over 30 years, until a fast and brutal fight with leukemia took Lisa's life. Laura hardly knew who she was without her.

Years later, Laura's life began to unravel. Her marriage ended. She lost her job and her home. She questioned if life was even worth living. But love, from a new friendship, helped save her.

And what she did with that love is the part I keep thinking about.

Talking to Laura forced me to reflect on all the trivial, petty, dumb stuff that can come between friends. Who got left off the group text. Who said what. Does any of it really matter?

At some point, we will all run out of time. This one life we've been given will end. Do we want to spend what's left of it replaying a comment, holding on to hurt, or staying guarded? If so, this episode just might change your heart and mind.

In this episode:

• 00:00 Cold Open
• 01:03 Rod Stewart, Oprah, and motor oil
• 04:20 The haircut she fought in a coma
• 06:55 Friday date night in a hospital room
• 11:38 "If love could save someone"
• 12:50 When people claim a grief that isn't theirs
• 16:42 Are work friends worth the risk?
• 21:57 "I thought she was going to replace me"
• 26:33 The girl who had no one to write down
• 33:31 How you could save someone's best friend

Content note: This episode includes discussion of terminal illness, death, and a moment of suicidal thinking. If you are struggling, call or text 988 in the US or Canada.

Links:

• The Empty Chair Project: https://www.instagram.com/theemptychairproject.ca
• Canadian Blood Services stem cell registry: https://www.blood.ca
• Honeysuckle Coffee, Tillsonburg, Ontario https://www.instagram.com/honeysuckle.coffee
• Take the survey: https://thebestfriendproject.co/friendship-survey/

Coming Next Week:

Rachel sits down with Beth, a woman she knows personally, after being completely gripped by the story Beth shared in the Best Friend Project survey. What happens when a friendship has a few things left to talk about?

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