Tomorrow it will be two weeks...
...since my friend, Yvonne, passed away.
I know, technically, it will be two weeks on tuesday, but sitting by her bed in the hospital, waiting for a twitch of her eyelid, or fingers, or anything at all...a twitch that never came... we knew she was already gone. She was so still, in fact, that when I kissed her forehead, I was surprised that she was still warm...then I was surprised that I was surprised. I think that's the moment I knew she was no longer with us.
We weren't able to attend her funeral because her family had her brought home to Illinois. We are planning to have a memorial service for her when her sisters and mother can come down. It will probably be in a month or so.
In the meantime, however, I'd like to say a few things about her. For one, she was the best friend I've had in a very long time. We didn't always agree, and some of our quarrels were positively epic, but we always made up with each other...even when we just agreed to disagree. She was good that way. I knew I could be honest with her no matter what, and the friendship would be okay.
I could go on. I could tell you how much she loved the ocean, and how she watched the dolphins play in the surf every chance she got. I could tell you how much she loved to garden, and how she had looked forward to owning her home so she could plant flowers and watch them grow. I could also tell you how much fun she was, and how we loved to play Uno on Friday nights. I could tell you all that and more, but it would never be enough. Words alone will never be enough to tell you how wonderful she was, and how much she will be missed.
But, she would be the first to tell me to stop pining for her and to get on with life. So, I shall. At least, for now.
I know, technically, it will be two weeks on tuesday, but sitting by her bed in the hospital, waiting for a twitch of her eyelid, or fingers, or anything at all...a twitch that never came... we knew she was already gone. She was so still, in fact, that when I kissed her forehead, I was surprised that she was still warm...then I was surprised that I was surprised. I think that's the moment I knew she was no longer with us.
We weren't able to attend her funeral because her family had her brought home to Illinois. We are planning to have a memorial service for her when her sisters and mother can come down. It will probably be in a month or so.
In the meantime, however, I'd like to say a few things about her. For one, she was the best friend I've had in a very long time. We didn't always agree, and some of our quarrels were positively epic, but we always made up with each other...even when we just agreed to disagree. She was good that way. I knew I could be honest with her no matter what, and the friendship would be okay.
I could go on. I could tell you how much she loved the ocean, and how she watched the dolphins play in the surf every chance she got. I could tell you how much she loved to garden, and how she had looked forward to owning her home so she could plant flowers and watch them grow. I could also tell you how much fun she was, and how we loved to play Uno on Friday nights. I could tell you all that and more, but it would never be enough. Words alone will never be enough to tell you how wonderful she was, and how much she will be missed.
But, she would be the first to tell me to stop pining for her and to get on with life. So, I shall. At least, for now.