This has been a very trying week.
Tuesday we lost a very dear friend. She wasn't much older than me. Her husband passed very suddenly two years ago, and I just don't think she ever got over it. I made her a memorial bracelet as a gift, with his nickname and a heart-shaped prayer box charm on it, and she never took it off. I'm beyond tears to know that they are keeping that with her. I've never put as much love and prayer and wishes into a piece of jewelry in all my life. I just wish she and her husband were still here. Life doesn't make sense all the time, does it?
It was a strange Thanksgiving for us, as my husband spent a lot of time on the phone contacting her old military friends who are flung all over the world, and I don't think I'll ever know what it was like for Rick to help write her eulogy, but what I DO know is she knew to the very last that she was loved.
I hestitated to write about this very personal thing on such a public forum, but I think it's important to remember to never ever take your friends for granted. Even if they live far away, even if you hardly have ten seconds to take a breath at the end of the day, from time to time remember to let them know how much they mean to you.
Lori, my deep and sincere sympathy for you - I'm an Air Force brat with a son in the Army who's deployed in Iraq right now and your post was so moving and true - make time to tell the people you care about how much you do care, you never know when you might not have the chance again.
It is never easy to lose a friend or family member, but it seems doubly hard on everyone around the holidays.
Yes, life is quite incomprehensible some times. Today we got word of an Art&Soul friend who died this morning. When we were all hoping the chemo was going to work. Young, fun loving, talented, generous, she made friends out of strangers with her smile. Like your friend, I am sure she knew she was loved. At least I sincerely hope both of them knew because they were. Hugs from here for you and Rick.
Oh right, I DO make jewelry!