“I feel that my work in progress has progressed to its final page and someone has glued it to the cover because there’s no more to be written,” she said to me in one of our many, many email conversations. It took me some time to process the gravity of her eloquent words as she tried to gently prepare me for the future. I needed to find a way to translate the feelings in my heart and the thoughts in my head into coherent words. Composure came slowly…
I have to be honest with you because that’s who we are and how we are. It’s a part of us that I treasure.
I can’t imagine a world without you, my dearest friend…I was petty and shed some tears just trying to imagine it. But deep in my heart, I know that my forever and yours will be different. In the time that we have shared, you have touched my heart, my soul, my family, and my life in countless ways. I am wiser, more loving, more understanding and simply a better person because of our friendship and all that we have shared. I can never begin to thank you for that, but also I could never bear the weight of knowing that I caused you undue pain or suffering by asking you to stay. I love you and I want you to follow your path, continue your journey and when it is time…I want you to go. I will celebrate your life and your progress. I will honestly feel joy deep in my heart for you, as well as sadness for myself. But only until I can evolve and embrace the new connection that we will share. You will always be a part of my world and my heart, nothing can ever change that. We have proven so many times over the years that our friendship and love far exceeds any boundaries of time and distance. Our connection will continue to exist and flourish. I will simply close my eyes and ears; I will see and hear you with my heart.
I will have weak moments, sad moments and times of self-pity, but they will pass as I return my focus to the blessing of the time that we shared. Nothing can take that away or the immeasurable impact that you and your friendship had on me. I am truly blessed to have you as my dearest friend! I understand your thoughts and words, and when it is time, I will support you in any way that I can as you move forward on your journey.
That is a bridge we will cross together at some point, but for now, I am simply thankful for every day that we have, what we have, and all that you are to me.
Another great post, Kathy! Awakens many points of departure for my own reflections on what it means to be a best friend and what friendships we’ve had throughout our life tell us about ourselves.
Beautifully put. Deep friendships are precious, and losing them difficult to face. But there is a time to let go, and when we understand that, it makes it a little easier though no less sad. There is still a hole left in our heart, but the Lord has promised to fill that hole. God bless you. A lady at Bible study this morning whose husband was killed in a car crash a year and a half ago, shared a beautiful vision with us. Shortly after his death, the Lord gave her a vision of Himself and of a fire. He told her to give up her dreams, fears and grief and throw them on the fire. Then He promised to give her new dreams. Look for the new dreams He will give.
I ended a relationship more than eighteen years ago with my ‘then’ partner, a mother of two beautiful little girls. She had been unfaithful to me but I still loved her. She could see I was hurt and it was she that finished with me. The piece I have just read has given me an insight from her point of view and I realise why she left. What lovely words, I hope they make others overcome obstacles in their lives. I am not a soppy bloke, in fact, I write Action Adventure novels; my first, Cure, has some romance in it and hits on relationship problems throughout; but the words above are like an epitaph to a lost love and make me realise how lovely my present relationship is with my wonderful wife and daughter. I thank the author for allowing me to experience this.
Thank you, Steven- I believe that we face challenges to learn lessons but also to offer comfort and assistance to others on their journey. Sharing these thoughts and hearing that it helped someone see a new possibility or point of view is the reason that I write. My first book included many stories of my father’s battle with cancer. I wrote about that part of my journey so that others who were facing a similar situation would know that they were not alone. Helping others seemed to give meaning to my father’s battle and it was a way to continue to honor his memory. I am so glad that this helped you to move beyond that painful time in your past so that you can fully enjoy all that is wonderful in your current relationship and in your life!