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One of my fondest memories of Nathlie is when we were working on the annual conference for the organization. We had set a time to go look at space at a local community college we were contemplating as the venue. We arrive at the school, park at the building we were advised was available for the dates we were interested in and the doors to the building was locked. The determined and stubborn person that I am I was not willing to get in the car and drive away. There were other cars in the parking lot, and I could see lights on in the building. I proceed around the building to check the other doors. Nathlie was sure they were all locked but she let me go. With each door that was locked she wasn’t surprised and understood that I needed to check the remainder of the doors. At this point now, we have gone all the way around the building, every door is locked, and we are at the last door. I had let the car run and although I didn’t want to admit it then, in my mind I had figured that all the other doors were locked so was this one. I get up to the door and I can feel Nathlies eyes on me. I reach out, yank on the door, and it opened. I immediately looked over at Nathlie and found her mouth down past her knees in surprise. We enter the building, see what we wanted to see, and leave.
See I think that day, we both taught each other something. I learned from Nathlie that if you are patient and persistent you will get what you need and want. In hindsight, I think I taught her that if you want or need to do something you need to be consistent and persistent in order to achieve the task at hand. I guess what I really mean is to not give up so easily.
Time for all of us seems to get away and it doesn’t feel like all that long ago that I had last talked with Nathlie. Time flies and all of a sudden we are reminded that life is just too short and can be taken away just like that. I am grateful to have Nathlie be a part of my life. I truly feel that I am a better person because of it. My only regret is that I let to much time go by without making a point to catch up with Nathlie and tell her what our friendship meant to me.
Tonight, I was looking through some photographs, and was reminded of her kind face, and warm smile as I reminisced about her altering the gowns for the girls in our bridal party, smiling, laughing and dancing at our wedding, and most importantly the friendship that we shared. Nathlie became a very good friend and she will be greatly missed.
My thoughts and prayers go out to all the Troland family. She was very close with all of her children and grandchildren and I am sure that losing Nathlie has not been easy.
