It’s the day before the start of middle school. I take my daughter to the campus to pick up her sixth grade class schedule. Half hidden by their summer growth spurts are the kids we’ve always known and yet never seen before.
Georgia gambols over the dusty grounds with a pack of friends while I sit under my hat like a mom perched on the rim of a playground. All the action is inside the circle.
Everything moves in patterns and cycles repeating, repeating.
The temperature cools. The sunset shaves off two minutes of daylight. It’s Tuesday, so I wheel the trash cans to the curb. Standing there I recall another dusk when I carried the baby to the sidewalk, so weary, so done, waiting for Daddy’s car to turn into view so I could end the longest day of my life.
It wasn’t long and it wasn’t over. The morning will come and I will love – I will really love – this day forever.
A sad prayer and promise for my happy friend Joan, on what began as another day and ended as her last.
Beautiful, and a tearful reminder for me. Thank you.
Sorry for the loss of your friend.
Comment by Michelle P — August 31, 2011 @ 8:06 am
I’m so sorry to hear about your friend, Maezen. I’ll be thinking of Joan’s family and of you.
xo Robin
Comment by Robin — August 31, 2011 @ 8:33 am
Today I’ve been reading your words again and again – and the knot in my stomach gets bigger and bigger when I know that last line is coming…
So sorry to hear about your friend Joan. I just sat by Kenji’s hospital bed and we discussed how life takes the strangest turns. Life and death intertwined it seems.
Comment by Roos — August 31, 2011 @ 10:37 am
Randomness…such a cruel entity in this life…
Thoughts with you and yours right now!
Alan
Comment by Alan — August 31, 2011 @ 2:28 pm
I’m so sorry. I have you and her family in my thoughts.
Comment by Emily — August 31, 2011 @ 6:39 pm
I am sorry for your friend Joan. We just never know when our job here is done, do we? Light surrounds her.
Comment by Gina — August 31, 2011 @ 8:57 pm
I too am sorry for the loss of your friend. Each moment is so precious in life.
We are experiencing the season change as well here on the east coast of Canada……very subtle and welcoming.
Comment by Jim Cuvelier — September 1, 2011 @ 4:08 am
Yes, the longest days do end, and then they are gone to make room for another. Hopefully our minds won’t dwell too much on those.
So sad about your friend, Joan. Another reminder how fragile and fleeting life is.
Comment by stardustdawn — September 2, 2011 @ 3:37 am