Missing You

Barbara, my friend, I think of you and  miss you.

We connected on many levels and in many ways you and I. The moon was one of those ways. We might have been separated by land and miles but we connected every time we peered out our window admiring her in all her beauty from each of our corners of the world.

We connected through our snail mail letters, our almost daily emails, our occasional phone calls, Skype visits and twice when we actually met with each other face to face. Once when you came to visit us in Canada and the other time when we went to visit you in Mandeville Louisiana.

There was the time I had you pop some popcorn without a lid just because we always said that would be so much fun. And what fun we had when it started popping all over the kitchen counters and floors.

There was our love of books art, and music which we could talk about for hours on end. There was our love of nature, the mountains, the meadows, the creeks, the trees. There was our love for our cats, and other animals of the wild like wolves and eagles and the meaning they had for us.

And then there was our love of writing and self-expression. We shared so much about this and through this. It filled my heart as I believe it did yours.

You cheered me on to write my book and I couldn't wait to share it with you. Couldn't wait for you to see your name in my dedications knowing you would be as proud as I was.

Sadly, you left this world before my book was published and I never did get to share those words with you but I have to believe that wherever you are, that on some level, you got to hear my words when I did various readings. But, knowing you and your stubborn ass ways, you likely demanded a copy and read the whole damn thing in one sitting anyway.  

Well, old girl, I leave you with a bouquet of your favorite flowers, the lilacs that you always asked me to send you a picture of every year when they came into bloom because there was none to be had in Louisiana. I hope you are on some exciting new adventures my friend. Your spirit lives on in mine.

And just so you know, I still haven't been able to bring myself to remove you from my contact list. In some weird way it makes me think I can still reach you.