Week 1: Quality

[adoptedwriter]

     Yesterday, while so many people I know were out there protesting, (which I think is awesome and something I would have liked to have done), I was getting dressed for and attending a three-hour celebration of life for a neighbor. (Technically the 37-year old daughter of a neighbor, but a “kid” who lived near us until her college time.) My daughter, MermaidFan, was a friend of her sister’s, and all these girls began their early years in the same day care center before advancing on to K-12 school together. In other words, we all go way back.

 

     The gathering was amazing. The afternoon was filled with beauty, magic, warm hugs, a few laughs, music and excellent eulogy-type speeches. A quartet of singers, opened the celebration with a lovely rendition of Sting’s “Fields of Gold”, (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLVq0IAzh1A), and  eight presenters, including the deceased’s mom, dad, sister, aunt and three friends spoke. One friend shared memories from their childhoods. One reflected on their college years and the third basically gave tribute to the whole family and their overall kindness without judgement toward anyone who needed something. 

 

     What impressed me most of all was the fact that once you became a friend of this family, and especially the deceased sister, you became a forever friend. You became a 100%, all-the-time, important person in her eyes and that would never change. Even though I personally didn’t know “M” as well as I knew the younger sister and their mom, I lament the fact that this family is no longer complete. It happened too soon. It’s one of those, “I can’t even” things. After losing one of my own sisters in April, this hits harder than I expected.

 

     “M” was only 37, but she’d led a full life of learning, reading, diverse friendships, fine food, fandoms, travel, career success and love. Her time was too short, but she lived her life well.

 

You can’t do better than that.