Some friends come into our life and are just passing through. They are like ships that come into the harbor. You hear them in the distance, and see them through the fog. If you stand on a dock, you can get a better glimpse of their majesty and be touched for a moment in time. Then, you turn and walk away to go on with the rest of your day or your life with a wonderful memory.
Then, there are other friends, oh they are the very few and far between. These are the ones that make up friendships that are lasting, bonding, and withstand the test of time. These are the friendships that endure the test and trials of our lives. I like to think these are handpicked individuals God has interwoven into the fabric of our life knowing that, to reach our full potential, we must have these people as part of our chosen circle.
Both types of friends are indeed blessings.
Last night we gathered for a dear friend’s good bye party. A group of women that meets periodically of cancer survivors has become quite close over the years. We all met during recovery, which for anyone who has never experienced cancer, it is an ongoing process, in actuality. Patty came into all our lives seeming to be like a beautiful rose that never saw its own beauty. We immediately sensed in her a soft delicate soul, a woman with a heart of gold and spirit so vivacious that, when unleashed, we knew she would be a force to be reckoned with! Without a shadow of a doubt, not one of us ever doubted why God chose her to be a survivor! She is undeniably blessed.
When I sat down to try to write something today about Patty, words escaped me. To try to capture Patty in mere prose is impossible. She has a spirit that is uniquely Patty. She has an energy that flows out of her being and she is like a magnet that draws people near her but yet, she is the type of woman that never really seems to sense those qualities about her, always remaining humble with humility. She never really sees, either, how beautiful she looks to the rest of us gazing back at her.
Her life has forever been changed by cancer. I think it was only fitting that she is clearly seen in Martina McBride’s latest video with her husband, so the world can see what those of us that call her friend see. PattyMac is the face of women everywhere that have battled breast cancer and won. Patty is a fighter and victorious, but it is a hard won fight!
And now, with happiness and sadness, as with all changes in life, is the time for her to move on and turn the pages of her life and start a new chapter. So, with mixed feelings last night, we met Patty and her husband Paul for dinner to commemorate our wonderful friendships. She will soon leave her residence of our Volunteer state with her dear husband Paul. But, it is with sheer gladness we celebrate that God has a strong hand on her shoulder. We know His design must surely be to move our dear friend forward away from a place that brought her so much sadness and yet so much growth and understanding about life. Patty is moving out of a place of darkness, into the light of His love and He is taking her and her soul mate Paul back home. May we all learn to trust in God that the path He takes us on will surely take us where we need to go.
Some friendships last forever, some will fade away. But all will serve a purpose. The distance is far but we are always near where it counts! We love you Patty, now and ever more.
