A good friend and a wonderful lady is in heaven now

Yesterday a good friend of mine, a very lovely lady and very special person, passed on to heaven. She was a wonderful person to all: daughter, sister, wife, mother, friend, grandmother. Tall, slim, gracious and classy, she was kind and generous to everyone always. She left this world much too early.  I believe that God didn't want to her suffer any more so he called her home to be with Him.

When someone passes from us quickly, or too young, we all second guess ourselves, at least I do. I should have done more, I should have helped or visited more. I wasn't generous enough with my time.  I feel guilty that I wasn't allowed to spend time with my own mother right before she passed on just last month, or at the very least, I should have been there when it happened.  But I didn't, and I wasn't there. My friend left me a message on my answering machine on Tuesday to tell me that she was now at home, but by the time I heard her message, I had already been to visit with her there....I listened to her message just a few days later and then she was gone from us on Saturday, so so fast.  She was blessed with many family and close friends at home, caring for her and loving her at all times during her last weeks of life.  I am grateful, and I know many of her friends are grateful too, that we were privileged to be able spend a few precious minutes with our friend before she was called home.

My friend loved life, her family, her friends, and especially her husband, her 2 children and her 3 grandchildren. I knew her before the grandchildren were born back when she was a working lady. We were all very busy then. Within the space of a couple of years, she was blessed with 3 gorgeous grandchildren and decided to retire so that she could spend precious time with them while they were small. Her grandchildren loved her tremendously and she loved them so very much.  They were so special to her.  I was jealous of her 3 grandkids, but she was generous enough to "share" them with me from time to time.  Those 3 children are wonderful people who I know will never forget their Gramma and how much she cherished and loved each one of them.

She loved get-togethers, dinner parties, Thanksgiving, New Year's, group meetings: whenever there would be food and friends and conversation. She also enjoyed visiting family during the summer, family who lived far away. There are so many people who loved to be with her. She always set a delicious table with wonderful cuisine, good people and great conversation, along with wine, cheese, bread and finished off with a bit of decaf coffee. At her house, I always knew that I would eat a fabulous homemade meal with all the trimmings and enjoy visiting with fascinating people. When she came to my house, she always brought me something....she was thoughtful like that.

Once I "retired" and wasn't as busy as before, I had the opportunity to spend time with her, just the 2 of us.  I will dearly miss those times. We saw each other more often in the last year, and I am grateful that I have those memories with her. Just last month, we went for a doctor's appointment together and then later had a very late lunch.  We talked and talked and talked for the better part of the day. We discussed everything: family (both mine and hers), politics, faith, food, travel.  She was tired by the end of the day, but she never complained. She always had a smile on her face.

If you didn't know her, you might say, wow, that person was really something, incredible! Truly, she really was something. She always wanted to know how I was doing, what was happening with me. She sympathized with me in all my troubles and gave opinions sparingly but honestly and with kindness.  She made a point of putting ME at ease, always.  But even she had a few doubts and regrets occasionally, she told me once. She was human, after all, just like the rest of us. But I can't believe that she ever hurt anyone, that just wasn't her style. Her simple goodness and pureness of spirit made me want to be a better person, to try to be more like her. I doubt that I will ever come close.

She made the world a sweeter place with her presence, and I was blessed to be able to call her my friend.  I will miss her very much and I know that all of you will miss her, too. Adios, my friend. May you watch over us all. Put a good word into God's ear for us since you are already there, ok?   I will see you again.