I called mum's friend, because I got word that she wanted to go pay mum a visit. At first, she did not know who I was, and was a bit taken aback by my call. The conversation was very brief.
Minutes later, she called back again. She'd gathered her thoughts and the conversation lasted longer this time. She and mum were university friends, and friends for life. Together with two others, they were a close group of friends. One passed away a few years ago, from cancer.
She said she remembered events of the last year very clearly. The week before mum passed, she planned to go traveling in Spain. A friend, one of the closely knit group of friends who throughout university shared everything and did so much together, had already seen mum days before. He told this auntie to go to Spain first, for I she had seen mum before she embarked on the trip, she would not be able to leave. She returned from her trip on 23 June. She visited mum on 26 June. Mum passed away the evening of 29 June.
She revealed how when June came around this year, she felt this deep, deep sense of loss. Something so powerful she has never experienced before. This is true friendship, she said. she really realised how deep the bond between mum and her was. I have several pictures of she and mum sitting together chatting and laughing. They always had so much to say, so much to share. I cannot count the times I watched from a distance and silently thanked her for making mum laugh and giving her good company. I was, and still am, grateful that her friendship with mum made mum's life all the more beautiful and memorable.
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