Anna not only taught me to love fiercely, but to extend that fiery passion into all facets of life; her attitude was to engage in hobbies and interests with fierce passion, explore the world with passion, dance and scream and sing with passion, and fight for what you believe with passion. Anna was a thunderstorm in a desert that's been dry for centuries too long - a fury of static electricity and energy in a human body that couldn't keep up.

I grew up in Long Beach California, Anna grew up in Minneapolis Minnesota. I grew up believing friends are forever, while Anna was taught by her life experiences that friends come and go, and to not take them so seriously or to fall in love with the idea of the friendship. I cannot abide by this rule as it goes against my core beliefs that friendships are deeper and more meaningful, but she opened my eyes to adults that think very differently than I do about relationships and what it means to call someone a friend.