Friends Forever
"The dead never grieve. Their comfort, our strife." - from poems by my sister Tamara
The recent photo (above) was taken at Kwomais Point Park in Ocean Park. It's a place of contemplation where, beneath changing skies, one can muse about days gone by.
My siblings were considerably older and busy with their lives so I filled time with picture books and imaginings in my early pre-school years until a girl across the way became my dearest friend. We invented games and shared clothes; strangers thought we were twins. We spend every possible moment together until suddenly she no long wanted to play. I never understood why and I cried for days. It seemed a little piece of me broke off due to the shock. I still don't know how closeness can turn so cold. This now grown woman, wherever she is, likely had/has no idea of her impact on me. But perhaps I've done similar to another. We rarely consider the magnitude of our power, I thought, prompted by the Poets and Storytellers United suggestion to "write about someone who made an impression on you as a child (for good or ill)". 
Over the years I've had other dear friends, mostly human but a few pets as well. Some more enduring than others. Now I'm older I've seen some pass away. I try not to dwell on sad endings but rather the spectrum of snapshot moments that comprise differing lives and relationships. They'll be ghostly clouds in my head until I, too, drift away. 
Above are old photos of me with two of our family pets, Bubbles (left) and Oliver (right). In times of stress and joy, they brought comfort to our home. 
Beneath the umbrella (above) is my longtime much-loved friend, Kay, who recently passed away. We encouraged one another for decades prior to blogging. Her site still lives on. You might enjoy visiting it at: An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel.
Explore more at Poets and Storytellers United, SKYWATCH and Saturday's Critters.
Check out my sites: Postcards from Penelope Puddle and Musings of A Puddlist In B.C.
Because the state of our planet is the most pressing issue of our time, link up and learn about the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report.
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| HOLD ONTO THE LIGHT |
It's hard for the heart to be wounded so young... Maybe it's preparation for the losses we have to endure throughout life.. .I don't know, just speculating... Love that bottom photo of the clouds, with what looks like a portal. I like to think of death as a portal we must all pass through in the land of impermanence - to a new beginning... Even so, I am sorry for the loss of your dear friend... May your heart be comforted...
ReplyDeleteIt is hard losing friends and pets, something that happens more as we age. And there really is no cure for loss. Alas. As for your loss of a friend, that is hard. Conversely though, we also have no idea how important some little thing we do might be for someone. I have had, on occasion, people tell me how much something I did or siad meant to them and I barely even remember it. It's a good lesson that we must keep reaching out and offering little gifts of hope (be that words or gestures) as that could be something of magnitude to someone in unknown to us need....#Skywatch
ReplyDelete...as I get older, a bench is a welcomed sight!
ReplyDeleteI remember Kay from her blog. So sorry to hear of her passing. Bubbles and Oliver look like cuties!
ReplyDeleteI too remember Kay from her blog ~ sincere condolences to you and I too know the love of sweet pets ~ they are a treasure ~ And so sad for you about your childhood friend ~ such a loss ~ Beautiful post as always ~ you are so creative and loving ~ hugs to you ~
ReplyDeleteWishing you good health, laughter and love in your days ~
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
I have mourned many losses over my life from family, friends and also beloved pets , so I understand such grief and sadness. I always took comfort in writing out my feelings and reading quotes and poems that expressed feelings I could associate with. I also try to dwell on the happy memories I have of those I lost. I will go over to read Kay's blog --thank for the link! May she rest in peace.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos and a lovely ode to friendship.
ReplyDeleteSome beautiful photos and thoughts. I was surprised to read about Kay's passing. I met her years ago when I was still early in my blogging journey. Then we lost touch. I'm so sorry for your loss. xx
ReplyDeleteI felt the sting as I read your poem because I had something like that happen to me, only we were older. A sore I didn't know was there... until it gets bumped on.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post. I love to think about friends, neighbors, and coworkers that I knew. For some reason I always thought I would be able to go back and visit them again but now I know that if I do, it is going to be in the afterlife.
ReplyDeleteAnd puzzling too are friendships that ended. Some I knew why and others I had no idea.
Reminding me of how today, young folks call it 'ghosting' ... however we label it, I know how much it must have hurt and confused you. Your poem says it all.
ReplyDeleteI can understand why that early friendship followed by sudden betrayal left its mark! But in most cases I'm sure you'll agree it is better to have 'loved and lost' than never to have experienced the wonderful friendships, with people and animals.
ReplyDeleteI just went to Kay's blog and read the leading article there, reposted from her archives, and fell in love with her at once. Thank you for sharing her with us, so that she is known a little more despite being gone.
I guess you could tell right away that she had a great sense of humor. I'm so glad you went over and had a read. :)
DeleteBetrayal and loss....life's lightning bolts described so well in your poem...Rall
ReplyDeleteA bandage yanked from a sore is a graphic yet apt way to describe that feeling... lost friendships do leave a massive impact...at all ages..
ReplyDeleteSo hard to loose your childhood friend and so sorry you recently lost your friend as well. It never gets any easier Love your photos with these gorgeous pets and you look beautiful as well. A bandage yanked from a sore is a great image
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteLove the photos of you and your sister and the family pets Bubbles and Oliver. The view from the bench of the water and sky is a lovely photo. I have visited Kay's blog, I am sorry of her passing. I have friends come and go, now I feel lucky to have one good friend. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, have a great weekend.
No sister, just different sides of me in the photos. :) I agree, one good friend is a lot, Eileen. Thank you for the comment and your sentiments regarding Kay!
DeleteI think it's true, we often never realize the impression we leave on others. Bubbles is so cute!
ReplyDeleteI like seeing the photos and seeing the pets over the years. I'm sorry about Kay's passing too. It's so sad to lose friends.
ReplyDeleteThrough the ages we have lost friends, living to be our ages that has to happen. When young my parents held me back a year so that "L" could be in my class, making two. But her dad took her out for third grade and up so she could go to a church parochial school and then I was alone until high school, where there were three.
ReplyDeleteSince graduation from a larger class of 48 for the last two years, losing a friend didn't matter. It did a little when one from it for friends for other reasons committed suicide. Our valedictorian did, as did a cousin and a few others also.
Also several blogging friends have passed, one we were racing for the OBE, Over Bloody Eighty, membership.
I had to become nearly 80 before I realized that friendship doesn't last forever. I just have 2 friends from primary school, they live in Germany, but we are still in contact and see each other too. Here in Belgium after 25 years my best friend dropped me like a hot potato without any explanation and when I asked she answered me that I anyway wouldn't understand; that was very hard because it was the time where I lost the love of my life and I needed my friend. So now I don't want any real friends anymore. I fear I will have the same "adventure"
ReplyDeleteLiving long means to outlive many loved ones. I think I’ve become hardened going through each loss in my later years, but losing my brother at 16 left me sad and empty for long. I understand Maria your pre-school experience, too young to face the reality when the innocent soul sees only lasting friendship and tenderness. I can relate to it with my granddaughter M. At 4, her dearest friend suddenly got cold and no more available. Crying, Y was reluctant to go to the kindergarten. Now she looks all right with new friends. I think I know how you feel about Kay. I've been growing with my blog friends, whose continuance of blogging is inspiring. Friends, keep well!
ReplyDeleteSorry to learn of your brother, stardust. How traumatic to lose a sibling at that young age, a brutal lesson about how precious but also precarious life is.
Deletei live in ocean county, in new jersey, we have 2 ocean parks. a sad story about your sister disconnecting from you, many families endure things like that and they never know the reason. it is nice to find comfort in animals, they do no judge and they always love you!!
ReplyDeleteI didn't disconnect from my sister, it was a little girl in my neighborhood when I was a child. But it's true what you say about animals, loving them brings us a lot of comfort. :)
DeleteA reminder to move kindly through life because we never quite know where we leave foot prints.
ReplyDeleteSuch a blessing to have such a wonderful friend. So sorry to hear she passed.
ReplyDeleteEndings are hard. Endings without reason are harder, since we can never stop wondering... Your poem illustrates the hurt so vividly.
ReplyDeleteA very touching tale. Pets are great friends and stress busters. She who went away was fated to go. I have had many school mates whom I considered great friends but they had their own selfish instincts.
ReplyDeleteOh -- my heart aches for six-year-old you! The way it did when I realized I couldn't always make things perfect for my own children! I know we all have to learn about heartbreak at some time, but so soon? ..... AND I am sorry to learn about Kay's passing -- I remember her interesting and brave takes on travel and life in general.
ReplyDeletefor quite a while I read and probably commented on her blog but had completely lost track of her in more recent years. Thank you for the link -- I'll go back and read as a memorial.
That's a terrible hurt to bear at such a young age. I enjoyed seeing the pictures of you.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed your writing. some friends do so. That is life. Touchingly worded.
ReplyDeleteTouching post! "A bandage yanked from a sore I did not know was there" - that line really captures the pain of a lost childhood friendship.
ReplyDelete