Even if you never experienced it, you most certainly have heard about the freestyle, bike-riding, tag-playing, wiffleball bat-swinging, garden hose-drinking, roller skating, out until dark childhood days of us lucky enough to grow up in the 70s and 80s.

I lived in a suburb full of kids my age, and we most certainly did all of these things, and then some. We however, did not have sidewalks, and our street was steep to put it mildly. What we did have was something of a guardian angel.

The world was a lot different when we Gen Xers were kids. The economy was rough. If our dads weren’t in danger of getting laid off, they were often getting pay cuts. A lot of our moms went back to school or directly to work. The “latch-key” kid was born.

This was way before every moment of a kid’s life was scheduled with activities. We did some things – but there was plenty of time to fall into trouble when parents were working, studying, etc. My best friend’s mom didn’t go back to work at that time – instead she inherited about 10 to 15 additional kids. And there was always room for more if someone needed a place to hang.

There were always bikes in the driveway and kids coming in an out the front door. In the winter and on cooler days, there was one of the first big-screen TVs any of us had seen (it was inside a cabinet that opened from the top and the screen popped out), and a library of movies and shows to watch. She was one of the first people I knew to have a VCR (BetaMax, no less). I remember her taping Friday Night Videos at 11:30 p.m., when most of us were in bed, so we could watch the next day. Our area was not blessed with MTV in our cable selections just yet.

In the summer, there was a swimming pool, which kept us all wet and happy and safe in the backyard. There was a cabinet full of extra towels and always extra swim suits for anyone who forgot to bing their own. If the temperature was above 75, our parents never had to worry where we were.

Her daughter was my first BFF. We were inseparable until we went to different high schools. And even then, we still saw a lot of one another. Her patience with two crazy little girls was undeniable – I can still remember her expression when she once caught us making our own snow from a Johnson & Johnson talcum powder bottle, all over a navy blue carpet. We talked and laughed about that one for years. She made us countless grilled cheese sandwiches, and owing to the fact that her husband and brother-in-law ran a local pizza place, there were always plenty of slices of yummy New York style to feed us all.

But it was more than popsicles in the freezer and sodas in the fridge. She truly cared for every one of us, knew who we were, what we were good at, and what kind of trouble we could cause. She answered lots of questions and was always open for someone sleeping over. When one girl lost her mother to cancer at a young age, she was always there to help her and her dad out with the growing girl stuff.

As we all grew into college and careers and families of our own, we all faded in and out of touch with one another and with her, our neighborhood mom. It was always a joy to run into her out and about and to reminisce. She always had a great old story top of mind. More recently, she was one of my favorite Facebook friends. Having her tell me how proud she was of the person I have become was a great compliment I will always hold in my heart.

We lost her this week to illness. I ache thinking of my old BFF holding her hand as she passed. Yet as always, she didn’t want to burden anyone. There won’t be a viewing or a formal funeral. But I’m sure we’re all paying tribute to her in our hearts. Mine for one hurts far more than I could have imagined (I haven’t seen her in over 15 years) and I find myself wondering where we kids would have landed without the safety and warmth or her home and her heart.

I’m sure God has welcomed her into His home the way she welcomed so many of us. I hope Heaven has a big TV, comfy couches, big dogs, Atari, a fridge full of sodas and a giant seashell dish full of penny candy.

Thank you for all you did for us. Find the angels in your life. Cherish them while you can.