What a whirlwind week! The twister swooped down & picked me up numerous times over the last 5 days, each touchdown recalling a sentimental moment in my life or making a new memory.
A week ago one of Mom's best friend's passed away. I can not believe she is gone. Ironically, the last place I met her for lunch is where we all gathered again to send her off and celebrate her life. Of course, she told her family to make sure Father Gary had at least 2 cocktails in her honor! During our luncheon, I met a few other school mates of Mom's who only had the nicest things to say about both Mom and Mercedes. It's rattling to have someone say, "you are singing my funeral" and then have it happen so soon after that declaration. Drat.
All in all, the experience very heart warming and soothing. I know I have at least two guardian angels up in Heaven (oh, so many more) that are squabbling back and forth that I am singing to one, no the other, blah blah blah.
The funeral was beautiful, just as Mercedes wanted...and the trip the cemetery as regal as the woman we were memorializing. The sun peeked through just as we said good bye for the last time. So many other thoughts came flashing back from this one event. When Uncle Bill passed away, we drove through Lakeview Cemetery after his luncheon to view the wall of daffodils...
The weekend continued surrounded by friends and family as I met a very dear friend for dinner. We broke bread and just talked, laughed, and forgot about life for the next three hours. Then, against my better judgement, I met a group of friends out. I was just about home and was rerouted thinking, 'this is trouble.' But in reality, it was nice to see a former co-worker of mine and just wind down the evening. Even better, the bonus at the end of the night. I had a delectable conversation with someone I hold dear to my heart. He nicely wrapped the entire funeral day up with a bow raising my spirits proving why he is one of my dearest friends I never, ever want to let go.
I re-connected with yet another former co-worker this weekend as he and his wife deal with a tough situation. But I told him, that's totally what friends are for --the love, friendship, moral support and any other support necessary to get through this thing we call life. It was a real treat just sitting and catching up with them for a while.
Then off to an impromptu family dinner full of homemade lasagna! MMMMM! And another treat was having 'the girls' in our midst! Zoey and Isabella are the cutest things in the world (besides Chica-lou!)...
Again, great to visit with the family, break bread and laugh, laugh, and laugh some more! Now, we all gathered during the beginning of yet another awful snow storm....but it was well worth it!
In the midst of this family love fest, looming in the back of my mind were two other dear friends who are not feeling well. One is having an operation this week after being sick for most of the year already. I pray for him everyday. He's very special to me. And my other friend will be coming back into town for an operation in a few weeks. He, too, is a dear friend who has a lengthy history with me.....
I so wish I could do more for them all.....as I began, family and friends make the world go round --at least my world. I'd be nothing without both.
And wrapping up this week of looking back down memory lane, yet another funeral. Uncle George passed away. Auntie and I went to the funeral and luncheon afterward. It was awesome seeing my closest cousins on hand, and just being able to sit there catching up without feeling like I have a gun to my head for 'the next duty.' We always say, "we should get together more, under better circumstances" when in reality, a good start is spending quality time, un-interrupted time at these spaced out gatherings. Living in the moment is all we can do and living as best as we can in that moment.
No comments:
Post a Comment