I’ve never been a fan of Mothers Day and Fathers Day. I always felt that singling out one day of the year to honor them was kind of cheesy. “Here’s a bouquet of roses, Mom.” “Here’s a tie, Dad.” See what I mean? I always thought it was better to show your love and appreciation consistently and sincerely and not with a Hallmark card. So I’m a bit surprised that I feel a connection to Best Friends Day, perhaps it’s because it doesn’t come with a corny greeting card or expectation of a hastily purchased gift.

But the real reason I feel a need to celebrate this day is because the loss of my best friend Madeleine has taught me how critically important best friends are. Who do you call when you get a new job? Who do you call when your test results are benign? Who do you call when you daughter gives birth? Who do you call when you are feeling blue? Who do you call when you are angry with your mate? The answer, obviously, is your best friend. Who else can share your joys and help you deal with your disappointments? But whom do you call when your best friend dies? That’s the tough one. When your best friend dies the person you most want to speak to is no longer there for you.

So my message today is don’t take your best friend for granted. Don’t assume she’ll be there to grow old with you. And don’t assume she knows how much you love her. Be sure to tell her.