Nearly a year ago, a good friend passed away. But her story doesn’t end there.
You see, through her friendship and the support group we formed at her diagnosis, new friends have come into my life. And stayed.
Now I’m so glad I had made room in my friendship cupboard – long before she passed I had Lysol-ed the energy vampires away and made room for some battery chargers. But I hadn’t yet filled it. Something told me to wait.
And, because of her, I met them – fabulous, smart, accomplished women with friendship and love to share. No snarping. No jealousies. Just people who love you and lift you up. People just like her.
We could have all just met last summer and had our laughs through the fall and cried together at her funeral and went our separate ways, and yes, there were some who did. But there are more who felt the void and looked around at other marvelous people left standing and thought – as I did – “I wonder.” And it’s in the re-connecting now, the laughter now, the telling of her stories now, that she lives on. In us. And that brown-eyed girl, man, she would have loved this.
Have you ever made a new friend in an unorthodox way? What has another’s death taught you about living?
I made a really great friend (male but truly platonic) through work connections. He was a consultant I used for outside training programs. We would periodically have lunch and laugh the whole time. We decided to incorporate spouses into the friendship and that worked. His wife will never be my best friend but I enjoy her. He and my husband are pretty close to besties. It’s been 15 years and still going. Through them (he is a very social extrovert) we met some other friends that have become close friends too. I don’t think work connections are an unusual way to make friends but because of the genders I have always thought it was a long shot that worked. Perhaps once you get past the hormonal stage, the gender doesn’t matter.
That is awesome that you made friends 15 years ago and are all still going strong 🙂 I agree with you that work is often a good place to make new friends but the gender issue can be a sticky situation OR you don’t care for their spouse. I have a few friends like that where I really enjoy the gal but husband is a bit of a turnip-head. 🙂 MJ
Ok, his wife is a bit of a turnip-head too. My husband can only take so much of her but we still do things together and enjoy each other. My husband has a friend that we used to do stuff with but his wife was a complete turnip-head and we stopped getting together as couples. He meets him for a drink occasionally. We often express the desire to rematch some of friends.
Turnip-heads can ruin the party, that’s for sure 🙂 MJ
Yes, she would have loved this..
And I had lunch with her cousin yesterday, a lovely lady whom I so enjoyed visiting with. She told me “but I want to have my cake and eat it, too – I want her with us and more time with her for all of us!” I don’t disagree,
MJ
I too lost a good friend last summer in a tragic car accident .. I knew her for over 32 years .. We raised our kids together and shared our grandkids .. Because we live out is state I was not able to get to know the wonderful friends in her life .. We have become closer to her grown children and her husband .. We cherish all of them .. Sherry’s birthday is July 15 and the an versary of her death is Aug 8 .. She will always be in our hearts and in our memories of a special friendship
Wow that is tough stuff – I am glad that you have grown closer to her children and husband – your friend’s stories have a home in all of you! 🙂 MJ
So true and we have such wonderful stories to share .. God bless
and I think it’s in those moments that they return to us 🙂 MJ
I do too .. :0)
I love the new header photo!!
I’m glad that you’ve found new friends, they’re such a blessing.
Emerald Lake, Sask – “Land of Living Skies” – we have the most spectacular sunsets there 🙂
New friends are rejuvenating! MJ
I, too, love your new header. That is so great that you’ve added friends to your life because of your late friend. Recently, hubby and I attended a funeral, and while there, I heard something I’d never heard before: when a person dies, that person really remains alive until the last of his friends dies. Because, he’ll always be alive in their memory. Your post today just reinforced that.
Emerald Lake, Sask (Land of Living Skies) – Dianna you ought to see our golden hours there – they last for hours and the sunsets are beyond description.
I loved the saying you shared from the funeral you’d attended — that is so true and she lives on in all of her many friends, me included 🙂 Thank you!
MJ
I don’t doubt she would have loved this. And she also wouldn’t be surprised that some of you made the connection stick. This is what life (and death) should be about.
I can hear her chuckling now 🙂 She would walk up behind us, put her arms around us and ask, “what’s up girls?” I feel the serendipity of it all … MJ
Pingback: A Summer Saturday | Emjayandthem's Blog
Pingback: On watering | Emjayandthem's Blog