Tender Ties

Today I walked into a church and saw a bunch of people standing around.  After a moment, I realized they were looking at the open casket of the man whose funeral it was.  I saw a woman's back - short dark hair, tiny waist, beautiful black suit... and thought that was my friend.  I saw her sister-in-law tap her on the shoulder and say "Look who's here..."  She turned around and saw me and ran toward me.  We hugged and cried and hugged and cried and hugged and cried.  My best friend.  Someone asked her who I was and she said "my best friend."  No matter that we have not laid eyes on each other since 1999.  We are best friends.

It was her brother's funeral.  It was difficult.  It was a sudden death of a super healthy man.  My friend was having difficulty as you might imagine.  She insisted that I sit with her at the funeral - so there I sat, with the family.

We got to talk intermittently for a couple of hours after the funeral.  We sat together at the reception.

Oh, this all sounds so nothing.  I can't seem to put this into words.

I got to see my best friend today after a 12 year absence.

The day I called AA for help, a young man answered the phone.  After a moment he said he would have a woman call me back.  A woman called me back.  She listened to me for an hour.  And then she insisted that I go to a meeting with her.  I have been sober since that day.  And that woman became my best friend.  I was the only person she ever twelve stepped. I am so grateful.

I am so grateful to have had a moment with my friend.  She will be in town for a week, but she has lots of family.  We talked about going to the greek restaurant we used to go to all the time.  I hope we can.  But if all I got was to see her today, I am happy.  I am thrilled.  It is a terrible thing to miss a friend.

Oh, and this funeral was at the church where I came back into the fold back in the early 90s.  The priest who used to be the pastor of the church (he moved away years ago) came to say the funeral mass of his friend.  When I saw the priest, I ran over and hugged him.  He helped me so much when I was struggling.  What a beautiful thing to see him.

This post probably makes no sense.  But I am just over the moon to have seen my friend.  So many people I have ties to.  Tender, beautiful ties of friendship, faith, family - love.

I have two pecan pies in the oven.  The man who shut off my sprinkler system asked for one - but I guess he didn't think I would take him seriously.  How long has he known me?  Anyway, I called today and asked him if his helper was still around so I could make him a pie.  He said it would mean the world to his helper man - who is now sober a couple of months.  He said the guy said "I can't believe that lady would bake me a pie!"  I told my friend that it would be the best thing I do this Thanksgiving.

I am so grateful to God for this sober life.  Happy Thanksgiving everyone.