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.

HOLD ONTO THE LIGHT

Hugh's View At Elgin Park & Earth Day Every Day

Earth Day came and went but although the official celebration was on April 22nd, every day of existence is miraculous on this blue-green gem of a globe we call home.

   

I didn’t know Hugh Ward who was honored with a plaque on a bench at Elgin Park. He was likely a member of the family that owned Ward’s Marina and surrounding property before it was purchased by City of Surrey in the 80’s when his view became open to the public. A ladybird beetle seemed to signify the good impression that he left.

Walking along the banks of the Ncomekl River I spotted another beetle. Coincidence?

The bug painted on stone was small as a thumbnail and inserted into a tree branch.   

Perhaps Hugh's loved ones were still close by and roamed the parklands?

Another family caught my eye, snuggled in the sunshine and soft muddy earth. 

Nearby, I noticed the plaque (below) on another empty bench.  

Addy had marvelous qualities reflective of nature, according to friends. 

I reflected that "beauty, grace and vitality" have an expiry date, even in nature.   

If treated like a treasured friend and not immortal or forever, maybe life on Earth ...

would be extended and appreciated more for how rare it is to find a world like ours.

Explore more at OUR WORLD.

Still the kid I used to be

Visit Postcards From Penelope Puddle and Penelope Puddlisms: BC Life Is A Whale Of A Ride to view more West Coast scenes.

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.