Friends Move Away

In the last 2 years, I have had four good friends move away.

These are women I learned from and worked with. They are women who helped me when I truly needed help. Their love and friendship changed my life for the better. They watched my kids for me and listened to me. They hugged me. They asked me how I was and cared about the answer. They showed me by their example how to have faith. How to forgive. How to serve. How to have a positive attitude in the face of overwhelming burdens. How to be loving even when you don't feel like it. How to be warm.

They brought me dinner after Mina was born. They helped me celebrate my birthday. They told me their stories and their concerns. Their kids were my kids' friends. I went to the baptisms of their children. I babysat their kids and celebrated their joys with them.

I watched their families or careers or plans fall apart and get rebuilt again by sheer grit, optimism, and grace. I prayed for them and for their families. I knew I could count on them if I needed help, and I wasn't afraid to ask them for it.

They are beautiful women, women of such strength and faith. Such love. It shines in their faces. And not the bad kind of shiny face. The good kind.

I have not lost these women. I am still connected with them. I can still call, email, text, or message them. I can still watch their children hit important milestones and see them find joys and victories in their lives. Only from afar.

I miss them. I grieve the change in these friendships. I hope and pray for the happiness and success of these women and their families. And while I know I could never replace them, I also hope for deep loving beautiful bright women to come into my life to fill a bit of the empty space these friends have left. And I am profoundly grateful for the friends who are still here. They are wonderful, too.