Saying Good-bye

 it's been a tough week

I was supposed to leave for a 2 week road trip with a friend a week ago yesterday -- the trip had been in the planning for over a year -- then I got Covid the first week of February, and she got pneumonia the first week of March -- and neither of us was really up to driving 1,300 miles (into an area that was under high wind and flooding warnings) --- so we cancelled our trip

then on Sunday, I got a phone call that my dear friend, art mentor, "other mother", my daughter's "Amma" who was her "other grandmother" had passed away

I knew that was coming -- she was 93 years old, and had been having physical difficulties for several years, but you know how the human mind works -- we always hope our loved ones will stay with us forever

My daughter and I had been out to visit with her about this time last year, and we had formulated a plan that when the time came that she and I would take my car and drive out those same 1,300 miles that my friend and I had planned to drive --- except my daughter and her family were 3,400 miles away on a spring break trip and I had 2 of her 3 dogs at my house

As I told my sister, I was hearing a lot of laughter from on high as we had tried to tell God what our plan was

Tomorrow (Saturday, March 25) is my friend's funeral -- my daughter (who gets home on a red eye flight in the early morning hours) and I will be watching the funeral via Zoom (I for one am grateful that this possibility was one of the good uses of technology that came out of the pandemic) -- it will be surreal -- 

So by now you may be wondering why the picture at the beginning of this post.  That painting was done for me by my friend, it hangs in my living room and I see it every day.  

E. June Ellington      June 29, 1929  --  March 19, 2023

There has been a song lyric constant in my head this week.....

        I've heard it said, that people come into our lives

        For a reason, bringing something we must learn

        And we are led to those who help us most to grow

        If we let them, and we help them in return

        Well I don't know if I believe that's true

        But I know I'm who I am today, because I knew you....

        So much of me, is made of what I learned from you

        You'll be with me, like a hand print on my heart....

        And now whatever way the story ends

        I know you have re-written mine by being my friend....

        And because I knew you, I have been changed

        For good