Melancholy

My friend Ursula is leaving next week. She's moving across the country with her family. I've crashed 2 of her going away parties and written her a gooey note. Putting an adjective in front of the word "friend" would belie the truth -- she's just a salt of the earth, everything you would want, FRIEND. It would embarass her for me to gush to her face, but she's told me she doesn't really read blogs, so I'm safe gushing to cyberspace.

I'm going to miss her. She's a rare bird that only flies through your life once. I keep reflecting on the first time I met her. A mutual friend suggested I run our Catholic homeschool support group with her. I'd never even met her -- and how is this lady so sure I'd even LIKE someone named "Ursula". Who's named "Ursula", anyway? I've completely grown to love my friend Ursula. The name has become synonymous with a favorite pair of shoes that looks nice with everything but doesn't draw attention to your feet. Grass that is so well cared for that it makes all the flowers around it look fabulous while you almost don't see the grass. Something you almost don't notice while you have it and really feel the loss when it's gone.

She has enough to deal with in moving across country, handling her own children's emotions, adjusting to new EVERYTHING and lastly dealing with her own emotions. It would serve no purpose for her to know how much I'm dwelling on her leaving. But I am. I've got 10,000 other things to think about right now, and I'm sad about loosing Ursula. I just keep taking my sadness and giving it to God as a prayer for her. The Michael W. Smith song "Friends are friends forever" is too sappy & teenagery for my friendship with Ursula, but the sentiment holds true. If you have a thought to spare, please say a prayer for Ursula's family. Thanks!