Ain’t that the truth. I have been living with some news about a person I honestly love for a couple of days, and well now is the time to write about it.

I have gotten to an age that a lot of my contemporaries as well as myself have lost at least one parent. A few months ago we buried one of my best friend’s mothers and she was truly a remarkable woman whom I do indeed miss.

There are a few more of these amazing women who are mothers of childhood friends that I still keep in touch with. And as an adult, they are not only my friends’ mothers but special to me as individuals. They are mom extensions for lack of a better term. Most of them are friends of my mother’s as well.

Two that come to mind in particular are both widows like my mother, and when we were growing up they were then as couples great friends of my parents. We all spent a lot of time together, and as a result of the friendships between the parents, the then children (us) became friends too. I have always thought it very cool that I have the friendship of the parents as well as their children.

So I just found out that one of these mom extensions hasn’t been feeling well. In fact, she has been given a difficult diagnosis and has an unexpected and perhaps slightly uncertain journey ahead of her. Leukemia is the long and short of it.

When I first got the news, it hit me hard. Much like my own mother, this is a woman who never spent much time being sick or near a hospital except to visit other people.

As I processed what was happening, I was flooded with a lot of awesome memories I have of her through out my growing up years.

An immediate thing that comes to mind when thinking about this woman is her wit. This woman is one of the funniest people I have ever met. And she has not only an infectious laugh, but when she smiles her whole face and eyes light up. She is one of those very cool people you can giggle with about really silly stuff.

This woman is also one of the most inspirational and positive people you will ever meet. She always sees the good in others and she has a deep faith you just don’t see as much today. She’s not prissy or pious when I say she has great faith, she just has this goodness and belief in God that I guarantee can warm the most jaded soul.

I spoke with her today and as always it was just one of those great conversations you wish you could have with more people. She has known me since I was pretty much hatched, so she and I can laugh about stuff going back decades.

Today we also touched on serious things and that she has some possibly hard days ahead of her. But even discussing the most serious of things, her humor and amazing positive attitude shines right through.

I am not sure this post is tracking as I am thinking about so many things at once. Life situations like this really make you stop and think. It makes you value what is important and shed the rest.

But for the grace of God go all of us.

Have a good evening.