A Message Of Understanding

Last evening I heard some disturbing news that a former colleague and friend had suddenly passed away unexpectedly. We used to get together every month or so for a study group or to relax with a lovely meal and conversation. Over the years, we went our separate ways with new jobs and raising our families and a life altering incident which created a (self perceived) rift within our group. I was feeling some sadness at this sudden loss of life in someone who was so vibrant and dynamic. I am also preparing a book of advice for my daughter who is graduating soon and am writing quotes and pasting in stickers, photos etc. I decided to look for more paper ephemera to add to the journal, and went down cellar to my hobby room and opened up the drawers of an old dresser repurposed into a storage center for paper crafting. I spotted a beautiful hand stamped dragonfly card and pulled it out from under a pile of decorative paper, thinking it would be perfect for the journal. I opened the card and inside was a written note from the colleague who had just passed away and a photo of our group at one of our YA Ya gatherings! It simply stunned me and in that moment, it felt like a burden was lifted from my heart over the loss of a friendship that I had set adrift. It felt like I had been forgiven for pulling away from the group and disbanding the camaraderie we used to share professionally and personally. I did not have any other personal cards stored in the drawers....it was the design that had appealed to me and that is why I must have saved it over the years. I had also forgotten that this colleague / friend loved to make hand stamped cards. This incident was truly remarkable and healing for me.