The Steady Flame

My best friend of nearly 15 years is moving away from here to be with the man she has loved for 16 years. She phoned me the other day and we went to our usual place to have lunch and discuss it all. She was glowing .. excitedly .. happy .. happy in a way I have not seen in her before .. and I couldn't be happier for her. :)

She has waited so long .. mostly for his life to fall into line .. quietly living her life here .. while he finished up the business of his life there .. he lives a thousand miles away .. and met when he was in this area doing contract work for the power expansion 16 years ago. Both have been single all this time .. she suddenly widowed after 20 years of marriage to a man she adored .. he .. a widower after seeing his wife through a long illness. She has believed in this .. in him .. even when she had way more reasons to throw her hands up and walk away .. move on .. and forget it all.

They have led these divergent lives .. their paths crossing from time to time .. always loving each other .. yet knowing it could not be their time at those times. I have seen her through several relationships .. the trials with her children .. and the ailings of various friends and family .. watching her struggle to keep it all afloat .. and always .. ALWAYS .. keeping her grace .. her humor .. her dignity through it all.

She deserves this .. I've never met another with such a great capacity for kindness and caring .. her ability to put others before her .. to pull them under her wing .. nurturing .. guiding .. loving .. truly a woman with pure heart.

She is the best friend I've ever had .. kindred souls .. alternating between .. mother .. sister .. child .. mentor .. confidente .. offering a soft shoulder .. or the unvarnished truth .. depending on what was needed of the other in any given moment .. and she is the ONLY person alive that knows ALL of my secrets .. the greatest of my joys .. all of the longings of my heart .. the deepest of my pains .. all of those things that live inside us that we barely whisper to ourselves .. much less another .. she knows them all .. and has loved me in spite of it. LOL

I will miss her terribly .. but I think it's just the idea of the greater distance that will be between us now .. because she currently lives an hour and a half away from me .. and we mostly have stayed close over the phone .. yakkin' for hours on all things relevant on our respective sides of the handsets .. and getting together once a month or so to have lunch and go shopping.

Before we left the restaurant .. she reached across the table and touched my hand before pointing towards a table behind me .. she said .. "that's us you know" .. and I turned to see this elderly pair of ladies .. talking animatedly over their lunch .. and giggling over something silly .. best friends .. even in their 80's .. relaxing in the total comfort of each others space .. and sharing in that wonderfully unique aura that comes only from that special blending of each others energy .. something they share only with each other. We know that space well .. and I look forward to sharing more lunches .. in our shared aura .. well into our dottage. :)

There are just some flames that burn bright forever .. and ever .. and ever more .... no matter the distance. :)