Oh dear, I'm very sorry for your loss! I must remind all my friends to be very careful on the road. :(

I will light a candle for your friend tonight. This is really a terrible thing to happen during such a happy holiday.

Thanks for the reply Charha. I really appreciate the sentiment. I'm sorry I haven't been around here much recently.

As for my friend, I went to his funeral. There were so many people there. I think one of the things that got to me the most was that he was killed, and suddenly. He didn't die from a personal accident or an illness.

I personally believe I have passed the mourning phase, but I can't stop thinking about him. My thoughts are so selfish though, revolving around how this affects me, though I do occasionally wonder about his family.

You know, I didn't even start crying until I read the three lines in the paper about fatalities during the holiday season (all identifying details removed of course). I cried again at the funeral when the rabbi mentioned that he had need of a casket. Seeing the box as they placed it into the ground was even more of a blow. It looked so small, compared to how tall and skinny he was.

He was an attractive and fun guy. I saw him three weeks before I found out at my sisters going away party. On the same note, what is a little eerie, is that his father was at my place doing some work on the morning of the same day he was killed. He called us a couple of days later to inform us, though we already knew.

You know, earlier this year in the same week that Heath Ledger died, an acquaintence of mine died in an accident overseas. A walking trail he was on collapsed. He was 23. I didn't cry for him. But then, I hadn't seen him in a while.

I hope I don't have to go to another funeral of my friends or peers for a long long time.

As is traditional (though I mean it), I wish you a long life.

On a happier note, it's New Years Eve tonight, tie to have a lot of fun and watch things explode. The Sydney fireworks are apparently sone of the best, and I haven't missed a year yet :P. I hope you have a good one and great people to share it with.

Mourning is a process that is very hard to plan beforehand... It happens and it takes time. I'm not sure if I can give you any advice because thankfully I haven't really lost anyone in this manner, but I think you shouldn't hold back your feelings. I'd say it's alright to go through a lot of different kinds of feelings because there is no one "proper" way to deal with the loss of a friend.

Let's hope that the New Year will be happier and that the next 12 months will bring good things your way. I also hope that you had a good time watching the fireworks and that you enjoyed the night as much as I did... It's important to be sad, but it's equally important to try and have fun as well. Celebrating life is one way to honor those who have passed away.

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pour all of that onto you. But thanks, your words have given me something to think about. :).

New Years was indeed fun, and I'm glad that you enjoyed yours.

Here's to a good and sweet year!