magnolia tree www.artstudioforchildren.com

Over a year ago my best friend and I drove up to her family cottage where her dad, a widower, was by himself for a week until his family would arrive for Christmas. We went to decorate the tree for him and make him lunch. Simple gestures for a good man alone.

I was happy she called on me to do this with her. I was happy I was smart enough to do it.

We laughed, teased, talked deep and caught up. Standard issue with him.

8 months later he died.

I loved him.

I am not intending to be morose. On the contrary.

Over that exact New Year’s, in fact, she had told her children and herself that the amazing thing about life is that we don’t have any idea what is next. She told them in any given year we can lose and we can gain without warning.  People move away from our table and people come to our table.

It is a good note to behave well within that understanding.

Kiss now.

Love deep.

After her father died, mine followed (I loved him crazy) only a few months later. A coincidence some might say. We resist referring to it that way.

Life brings us change, difficulty and new hope. But that last bit is up to us.

(of course this is my kid, Beyonce is no relation to me and needs no press)