Remember, remember the 5th of November

When I was 9 years old, I met an angel. I'd recently moved to England with my family, had started at a new school and was about to become the oldest of five girls when my sister, D, was born a few months later. 
That angel came to me in the form of another 9 year old girl. Natalia Jones was her name but I knew her as Talli. She was one of the kindest girls I have ever known and somebody who's wisdom was far beyond that of her nine years.
Talli and I went to school together for two years. Her artistic ability inspired me and her beautiful singing voice made me stop my own sining during hymn practice just to listen to it. I left England just after my eleventh birthday and returned to South Africa.
Talli was the only person that I truly missed.
On November 5th, 2006 Talli was killed. She was hit by a car on her way to a Guy Fawkes bonfire party. The angel was taken from us all too soon.
That's the thing about angels. They're there when you need them most and then they're gone, faster than they came. Talli was there when I needed her most and then she was gone.
My heart aches for her mom, who taught us art at school during those years, her sister, who shares my name and  it's pronunciation, and all those who knew her.
Sometimes I feel guilty about the fact that I get to live and she doesn't. I get to fall in love, have children, travel, find out what happened at the end of the Harry Potter series and she doesn't. Then I am reminded of this quote by Mignon McLaughlin, "The death of someone we know always reminds us that we are still alive - perhaps for some purpose which we ought to re-examine."
I would be different had I not known Talli. I believe that she was my angel and the angel of many people I have not met. I know she still watches over all of us from her place in the sky.
I honor today in remembrance of her.