In an Instant

by Suzanne Redfearn

Don’t just try to be happy when you think of me—be happy. Look at the ocean and smile. Inhale the scent and celebrate. Remember me. Remember that I was never sad for more than a day, rarely for more than an hour. Remember the amazing times we had and what a goofball I was. Remember that I was scared of anything with more than four legs but fearless of adventure. Remember. Carry me inside you as a light that brightens your world and makes everything better. I don’t want to be a void, a hole, a shadow. REMEMBER ME!

This was a turning point for me in writing this story. I was imagining myself as Finn staring at her beloved ocean and how frustrating it would be to be looking down at two of the people she loved most in the place she loved most and for there to only be sadness. It's when I realized how much I would want to be remembered for my life and not thought of for my death.