I haven't written anything in a few days because, well quite frankly I've been flat out going non-stop since before Easter weekend. Between the kids and all their activities, work, house renos and the beginnings of house hunting, there has been hardly any time to organize my thoughts long enough to write them down.
My mind, however, has been swirling - due in large part to two events that have taken place over the last few days. First, we got a call just before the long weekend telling us that the wonderful, sweet sister of a dear friend of ours had passed away suddenly and quite unexpectedly. 37 years old, loving sister, daughter and aunt, she was taken from her family and friends far too early. Although we as a couple were not especially close to her in recent years, her family is a very important one to us, as Steven grew up hanging around that household. In fact it is because of this particular friend that we are a couple today. We received the news with heavy hearts, not having any idea what to say to this man who just lost his only sibling. We can only hope he knows he is not alone; he is much loved, as was his sister and his entire family. We attended the funeral yesterday and were pleased to see so many of the "old gang" felt much the same as we did: love and support was the order of the day. I realized as we all stood around catching up - friends who have hung out since high school and earlier, friends who were now dressed in suits and ties, exchanging updates on the now nearly dozen children we have between us all - that its not what you say at a time like this that counts. Its that you're there. When I told my children that their father and I were attending the funeral Rhian piped up and said, "oh, so you're celebrating?" Owen laughed and said, "its not a party Rhian", but you know she had part of it right: it is a celebration of life. Tanya was a wonderful, caring, loving person who made a difference in many lives. That is a great thing to celebrate and I'm sure she would have liked for us to see it that way.
The next thing that happened is that my beloved, much-missed girlie friend gave birth to her third baby on April 6th, in Edmonton, Alberta. A very healthy, beautiful boy they named Kwyn Zachary. I have been with her and her children almost daily since her first was only a few months old so for her to have a baby that I have not yet seen is not sitting well with me! I feel her absence very acutely right now but the joy I feel for her and her family is reminding me that life goes on and we go along with it. Isn't that the lesson I have been shown twice now in as many weeks? We meet people, we form relationships with them and we learn valuable lessons from them. Sometimes they leave us and the world behind and we must grieve them. Sometimes they merely move on to the next phase of their lives and the relationship take on a new dimension. But still life goes on, and what a miracle that is.
This week has once again reminded me how grateful I am for all those I call friends. Wherever this life may take us, we will always have each other.
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