Dedication From a Little Friend

I have written the below as a dedication to Aabi:

I never knew that one-year-olds could be best friends. I always thought children that young would just play with any child who was nearby, but that’s not true. Children that young definitely make friends, and Aabi was a best friend to my son. She will always be one of his first best friends.

When Aabi started at daycare with my son, they formed a special bond very quickly. Every day after daycare, he would list Aabi as a friend he played with. He would exclaim, “It’s Aabi’s mum!” or “It’s Aabi’s car!” With such excitement if we were lucky enough to arrive or depart at the same time. The educators even wrote a special ‘observation’ about their friendship that included the cutest photos of them tickling each other and cuddling. I will forever be thankful for this insight into their friendship.

When Aabi went into the older kids' room at daycare a few weeks earlier than my son, he would still list her as someone he played with, even though they weren’t together. They were still linked, and he was still thinking of her.

Not having Aabi here on earth with us is heartbreaking, not fair, and I am always thinking about her and her family. My son is still too young to understand why she isn’t at daycare with him anymore. I know they are still linked, though. He still talks about her and includes her in his imaginative play. If he has to name characters, like the soccer players in his favourite toy at the moment, at least one of them is always called Aabi (usually a whole row of the players are called Aabi!)

It’s devastating times like these that cause some people to question their faith and beliefs, and I know it has made me question a lot. One thing I do know, and haven’t questioned because there has been so much evidence, is that memories of Aabi remain strong, and we can still feel her energy. Her energy remains particularly strong around my son. We are so lucky to have known her.