™

Heartwings Love Notes 817 - Saying Goodbye to Our Friend

Heartwings says, "Our memories keep our friends alive even after they've gone."

As we were moving into our Forest Lane apartment, we needed to assemble some of our new furniture. My tools had not yet made it to our new home so I went knocking on my neighbors' doors to see if I could borrow a hammer. Met with headshakes in the negative at each door I tried, I arrived at the last one. A spry older woman with a wonderful smile opened it. "Yes," she said, "I have a hammer I can lend you." That was approximately ten years ago and the beginning of a treasured friendship with my neighbor Laura Dodge. I loved her spunk and her bright mind but most of all her kind heart.

She told me her entertaining stories and shared her crafts with me. She also at my request shared her freezer space; and over her protests I paid her "rent" in fruit sweetened jams and frozen desserts. When she visited us in our apartment she admired my husband Stephen's art. "Would you like to try collage?" he asked, and handed her a canvas. "Here, have fun." She began to turn out wonderful collages of her own, asking for guidance from her teacher, as she called Stephen.

Stephen arranged for her to have two art shows at a restaurant in Worcester, and many came to her openings and purchased her collages. We invited her to our birthday parties and she was popular with our friends. Everyone loved her stories. We included her in some of our trips, took her to the Worcester Art Museum, and through a car wash, which she said was a first for her. When at Stephen's suggestion she began to make dolls, we had fun helping her with designs. Eventually we loaned her a cabinet to keep them in.

As time went on and her physical health became worse, she couldn't get out as much as she used to. Many of the evenings that she was home I would go down and visit with her. I would often do some energy healing for her, singing to her and using my hands to remove painful energy and replace it with healing energy. The day she moved out we were sad to part. We moved too very shortly as well, yet we kept in touch by telephone nearly every day. It was always a joy to hear the stories of her daily life and doings. One of my favorite things told me was, "It's a small life, but I make it interesting." Laura was an inspiration to me and to many others as well. I will miss her always.

May you be so fortunate as to have someone like Laura in your life.
 

I love to hear from readers and would be honored if you would comment and let me know any suggestions or thoughts. If a friend sent you this, you can sign up at my web site, www.heartwingslovenotes.com, where more love notes can be found in the archives.

Blessings and Best Regards,
Tasha Halpert
 

← Back to Heartwings (Index Page)

   - Click here to print this page

Prev|Next