Learning Love and Loss

When She Loved Me <<—(click on this link to hear the song. )
Today is a bittersweet day.

I received one of the greatest gifts of my life 29 years ago today. I celebrate the birth of one of my children every January third. She’s brought joy into my life, like children do, and like only she can. 

I also lost one if the greatest gifts of my life on January third three years ago. My friend Kathy passed away from the ravages of multiple myeloma. 

I only knew her, really, while she had cancer. Our lives intertwined in a surprisingly fast way. The friendship lasted only five endlessly painful (for her) short (for me) years. 

I wrote about her, about our friendship a few times. If you didn’t know her, you really missed out on one of God’s best creations. It’s easy to paint the dead with rosy hues, we humans do that. Kathy deserves it. But she was flawed, too. She could be bossy, and perfectionistic, but she did it with a charming smile and a strangely kid-like voice so you didn’t mind so much. 

My daughter moved a couple years ago, a three day drive away. Too far for frequent visits. Not to mention she’s busy raising a family, like all my kids are. In a way I’ve lost them all to life’s path. That’s what children do, grow up and leave you. 

Anyway, I’m a bit melancholy today and this song captures that friendship, that joy, the losses, the memories. 

Listen and see if you can hear Kathy’s laughter. Or maybe you’ll feel a bit of childhood’s hand holding yours. Either way. 

Happy January third.