 Her legacy |
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Lauren's Birthday
Lauren's Birthday
Lauren was always so excited as her birthday approached. She would count the days and mark them off on her calendar. We always had something special planned. I would put up a banner with Happy Birthday and give her a gift in the morning. She loved jewelery and had an amazing collection of necklaces, earrings and bracelets, many of which were gifts, some were purchased on one of our many shopping sprees and some she bought herself. It is so sad that some of her jewelery has disappeared, either taken when the house was full of people after her death, or loaned to someone, who has chosen not to return the items. It is hard to imagine someone being this cruel and insensitive.
Thank you Margaret, daughter of Nelle Buonpane
On her 17th birthday, there was a cross country meet. She was so happy, didn't put much effort into her running, but smiled and waved as she ran by. A team mate, Hannah, baked her a cake which was so appreciated and so delicious. We were not together in the evening for her 17th birthday, her last birthday on earth. She wanted to go out to dinner with her friends, and I understood even though I was disappointed. It was the first year she and I did not spend the evening of her birthday together
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Lauren's Legacy
Lauren's legacy is the kindness and compassion she showed to her friends, to her family, and to acquaintances who needed support or help. She shared many stories with me telling me how her friends would share secrets with her and she always kept their secrets. From what people have told me she was a true and loyal friend. Lauren was always forgiving, even when she felt betrayed or hurt by something a friend may have said or done to her. Some of her friends have said she was almost too forgiving. She believed in protecting her friends and trying to help them whenever she could, even when she was going through troubled times as a teenager.
She has written many beautiful poems, which reveal how she felt about her friends and family as well as herself. Many are truly beautiful, but some of her poems are so sad. But isn't that the way of teenagers? Their moods change rapidly, at least hers did. She started taking all her poems and writing them in a special book, and unfortunately throwing away the ones she didn't like. She was so excited when she ask me to read them, and I was so proud of her. First that she could write so well and secondly that she would share it with me.
At a very young age she began writing short stories and I was amazed at her imagination. For many years she talked about being a journalist. She loved to write. What an amazing treasure she has left me in all her writing.
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Christmas Memories
Christmas was Lauren's favorite holiday. We always tried to make it special, especially after her father passed away. She was surrounded by presents, family and love. We spent many Christmases with her Uncle Kevin and Aunt Karen and her cousins. She would pack the car with many of her new gifts, because she didn't want to leave them. Often, she had so much fun, she didn't even look at these toys until we got home. Memories......
When Lauren was younger, on Christmas Eve, we would often go to the Christmas pageant at the St Luke's Episcopal Church in Somers, after which we would go to a Bonfire in North Salem, and drink hot chocolate and sing Christmas Carols. To top off the evening, Santa Claus would arrive on a firetruck and greet all of the children. We would then go to my friend Carla's in North Salem for dessert and coffee. Beautiful memories......
There was one Christmas that I thought it would be fun to start our own tradition, so I got tickets to a show in New York City for Christmas day. The plans were to have dinner in the City then go to the show. Traffic was so snarled and it took us forever to get cross town and park, we missed our reservation for dinner, so we had hot dogs from a street vendor before going to the show. Lauren of course was more interested in the cute boy sitting next to her than the show. But we talked about it often and laughed. Memories.......
There was another Christmas that we were home alone because she had strep throat. Neither of us got dressed and we watched movies and actually had a wonderful day, despite her being sick. More memories........
On her last Christmas, December 25th, 2004, she wrote the following in her journal:
"- Aw it was Christmas today and it indeed was a spectacular one. It started off just right, because after church on Christmas Eve, and some Christmas festivities, Kevin came over and stayed until about 12:30. So my Christmas Eve ended perfectly, and my Christmas day started off perfect. I haven't hung out with any girls, but I really don't miss them. Things just seem less complicated without them. Well I'm exhausted, goodnight." More memories.............
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