Forever-There

I was blessed to grow up in a small town, with a tight-knit community.  Our parents were both ours alone, and part of the collective town-parent.  How many town meetings, school plays, birthday parties, graduations, did we share?  Beyond any accurate count, it is just part of the fabric of my childhood.  When I think of my hometown, my school, my growing-up, there are a solid handful of faces that stand with my own parents.  Tonight was a goodbye to one of those forever-there faces.

Tonight I stood beside a friend I have known for all but the first five years of my life and we cried together.   I stood there because I needed to say words that could not take away her pain, and to let her know that I see her sadness. I hugged her twice because once didn't say it all and marveled at her grace under such trying circumstances.  Her beautiful daughter stood beside her, taking loving care of her, straddling the divide between child and young adult from moment to moment. It was beautiful and emotional and so very, very real.

 It struck me with full force that we have stopped being the children and become the parents, the ones who begin to say goodbyes we are not ready for; To our own parents that we still think of as invincible. "Wait! We are the children!" our brains cry out, but time has silently moved on, leaving us with roles we haven't asked for.  

This father leaves a legacy of strong, hard-working, caring children.  Women I was proud to grow up with.  Women I am still proud to know.  Women I wish I had hugged just one more time tonight to let them know how much I wish them peace.