🕊️🩵A Love Letter Across Time: Honoring My Sister-Friend Vanessa

On this day, June 16th, I pause to honor someone who has always held a sacred space in my heart—my dear friend Vanessa.

Vanessa and I met at Spelman College. She was from New York, I was from Mississippi. We were two young women with different upbringings but deeply kindred spirits. We lived on the third floor of Howard-Harreld Hall and quickly became the best of friends. She, the grounded Virgo. Me, the dreamy Pisces. We were cosmic complements—her steady grace held space for my bold spirit, and I invited her out of her comfort zone just enough to dance with the unknown.

Though our majors were different and life pulled us in new directions, we stayed in touch. I got married and moved off campus. Vanessa became an attorney and eventually moved to Texas. Somewhere along the way, we lost contact—and even as the internet blossomed, I couldn’t find her. Yet I always wondered: How is she? Where is she?

And then… Spirit moved.

At the end of 2023, Vanessa reached out. Out of the blue, a letter arrived. She’d found me. And I was overjoyed. I sent her a video reply, unable to even type out all the emotions I felt. She sent Christmas gifts—so thoughtful, so “Vanessa.” She had always been salt of the earth. No drama. No nonsense. Just genuine, heart-led friendship.

Then came the magic I never expected. In early 2024, a coaching client of mine named Nika—someone I had felt an immediate soul bond with—messaged me, asking: “Do you know Vanessa P.?” My jaw dropped. “Yes,” I replied, “she was one of my best friends at Spelman.” Nika responded: “That’s my first cousin.”

Sis. I was floored. No shared last name. No clues. Yet Spirit had woven our paths together once again.

But then, the next message came: Vanessa had passed. Just like that. A sudden transition. No warning.

June 16th, 2024.

And I never would have known—unless I had met Nika.

I believe with my whole heart that Vanessa’s soul knew her time was near. She wanted to reconnect. She reached out. And through her cousin, Spirit ensured I would learn the truth. That I could grieve, honor, and remember.

Her sister sent me Vanessa’s Spelman doll and a Spelman hat she never got to wear. That gesture was like being handed a piece of her light, her memory, her love. I was able to notify our classmates, send flowers on behalf of our class, and ensure her legacy was honored by the sisterhood she so deeply belonged to.

Vanessa, I honor your grace, your kindness, your steady strength. Thank you for being a light in my life. I carry you in my heart always.

To anyone reading this: Life is sacred and swift. When Spirit nudges you to reach out, don’t hesitate. Connection is a holy act.

🩵Tirra and Vanessa, sister-friends forever