Saying Goodbye

I lost a friend this past week. She was young. Only 54. It should not have happened, yet it happened so quickly. One day she was fine. The next she was fighting for her life. They say it was a blood infection. In 4 short days, she was gone.

Yes, I am saddened.
I cannot imagine this world without her.
She was such a force of nature.
Always planning something.
Always working on something.

She leaves behind a husband and an 8 year old daughter.
We actually met at Mother's Day Out.
Her daughter was in the same class as Judson.
Her daughter was Judson's first non-family playmate.
I have no pictures of my friend.
You see, it's an unwritten rule,
You don't take pics of other mothers.
Only the kids.
(And aren't they adorable kids!)

Truly, while I'm sad for me.
and I'm sad for her husband.
Mostly,
I'm sad for her daughter.
Why does an 8 year old have to go through such a loss?
It makes no sense to me.

I saw the daughter tonight at visitation.
You could tell she was still processing.
There were clouds in her eyes where twinkles used to be.
But she was holding it together.
I was sitting there talking to her while she ate.
She said, "You know, I like chicken tenders.
My Mom liked them and I guess I got that from her"
There was one tender left on the table.
She said she was not supposed to get it.
(I'm sure someone had told her that but they hadn't told me)
So I said, "you want me to go get that tender for you"
She smiled very sheepishly.
So I said, "Don't tell anyone and I'll sneak it over here for you"
That was all I could do for a little girl who lost her mom.
Cop the last chicken finger.
It made her smile.