I was sat enjoying a cup of coffee and a chocolate croissant yesterday morning. It was a lovely clear day and, for some reason, my mind started to wander and I found myself feeling really sentimental and nostalgic. I suppose it's because Christmas will soon be with us once again, and we find ourselves remembering friends and loved ones who are no longer with us.
Every day, when I wake up, I say "thank you" for all my blessings. For my lovely and loving family, for the gift of friendship, for my health, and my home, and I pray for all those less fortunate than myself.
I've lost three really good friends over recent years, (with others having serious illnesses, but, fortunately, they are now well again) and it really does make you look around and appreciate all the wonder there is in God's world.
My first friend, Diane, developed breast cancer when she was only 42. She fought that very bravely and I shall always remember her wonderful smile. Unfortunately, she then developed a brain tumour and passed away when she was only 47.
I had worked with my second friend, Pat, for fifteen years and we were good friends outside work as well. Her passing was a real shock. I was going on holiday abroad for a week and actually phoned Pat from the airport and we had a long chat. She did say that she had had a terrible headache the night before, but that was all. Anyway, when I arrived back from holiday, there was a message on my answering machine from her brother, saying that she had died the day after speaking to me, after suffering a massive stroke. You can imagine how that hit me at the time.
My third friend, Doreen, I have already written a post about in October. We had been on a wonderful holiday to Dubrovnik less than a year before she died, and she was so healthy and relaxed on that holiday, that it was frightening to see how quickly a person could literally diminish in front of one's eyes.
Gosh, I'm sorry. This post has been a bit maudlin, hasn't it? Anyway, I'm sure that, on Christmas Day, we will all raise a glass to "absent friends".
12 comments:
You don't have to apologize girl. It's certainly OK to remember friends that have passed. I have also known friends that seemed to be the picture of health and died so suddenly. It is a shock and at the same time lets us know that we are not promised tomorrow and we should make the best of every day we can loving family and friends and being as positive as we can. Hard to do at times but we have to at least try.
Odie
I love your comment Odie, "we are not promised tomorrow." I think that brings it home even more!
The holidays are a bittersweet time as we give thanks for all that we have and remember those we have lost. When I was a boy I always wondered why my father had difficulty getting into the holiday spirit. When I came of age my mother explained that my father became moody around Christmas because his father had died on Christmas day. On Christmas morning 2001 I placed a long distance telephone call to my dad to wish him a happy holiday. He sounded tense and said that he was on his way to a doctor appointment. On Christmas day? As it turned out my father died later that day, just as his father did on December 25th, 1937! That's one holiday tradition that I can literally live without!
Oh Gosh, that's awful Shady, with both your grandad and your own dad dieing on Christmas Day. As you say, one holiday tradition that you can literally do without!
Ok, I keep typing out messages, and then deleting them and then typing something different and then deleting that. So I'm just going to say, I'm sorry for your loses and I know how you feel. No need to apologize.
Thank you Jumble. I appreciate that!
This...I think it's great that you are so appreciative of everything you have. And by remembering those you lost you kept them so very alive and vivid in your heart. Forgetting someone after they're gone is the worst thing anyone can do. Remembering them makes them live on. Never apologize!!
You're quite right of course, Barb. Our loved ones live on in us, and we must never forget them.
no, i don't think it maudlin at all. it's great the you can look back on the lives of your friends and while still miss them, remember the great times you had together. my oldest sister died in 2001 and my dad in 2005. i always remember them, but especially am reminded of them around the anniversary of their passing. of course, we are not promised any more than the breath we are currently taking in or letting out, so it's best to cherish every breath, every moment, that we have with those that we love.
now, about that chocolate croissant...
Thank you for those lovely words, Teresa.
Ah yes, that chocolate croissant.....!!
I always think of my brother and grandma on Christmas. My brother died of asthma when he was 21, my grandma died a year later. She always cooked the turkey at Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner.
That's very sad for you to lose your brother so young, Belle. It is that time of year, isn't it, when memories come back to us.
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