Monday, July 27, 2015

Too Soon

My friend died today.

Too early in her life, too soon for her family, too unexpectedly for her friends.

Life is short at best, and even though we try to hold on to the greatest seasons of our lives, they slip away before we can blink twice.

I met her when we came.

Always the most glamorous of us all.

And the greatest chef.  She would have us "girls" over for a gourmet dinner almost once a year.

We were "camp" friends on the Flow.  She, even more than Rob, was nervous at how big our bonfires got!  "That bon enough, Ethan!"

And her impact at our high school in the English department was monumental.  She was a hard teacher but a great advocate for her students, developing  writing skills and love of books.

More than anyone else, Rob loved to talk with her about books that they had both read, concepts, ideas and plots and story lines.

As we met once a year, after they moved, for her husbands birthday, "back home in Canton" she would give me a list of books that I should read that year.  I still have the list from last June.  Hastily stored in "notes" on my iphone.

We meet each day with lists of things to do, projects and objectives making our days productive.  As a family, we know first hand, that we are not immune to accidents, illness and tragedies.  And yet once again we, with sadness, focus on how precious life is; thankful for the days He has given us and our times together.   How beautiful God's world is.   How meaningful our friendships are.

 And how important the our families are.   Holding us close, strengthening our ties, recounting  our special moments and memories.