Goodbye my friend

     We get a local paper called the register weekly and in it, it tells a lot of the happenings around the world in our state, city and diocese. Articles written by local priests and nuns and our bishop. Anniversaries, birthdays and obituaries. Interesting articles on the world and how to do things that we might be confused with. I always glance through it quickly looking at it to see if any of my grandchildren are in it and or for the crossword puzzle. This last time as I was reading, I noticed in the obituary section, a friend, a classmate of mine, Beth who had died. Gosh I was shocked! Shocked to see her name. I thought to myself " surely that isn't Beth who I graduated with?"  But it was. My heart sank. She was a friend, a classmate. Someone I lost touch with after graduation. She was hilarious in school. Always making people laugh. She had a natural knack for that. She was smart, pretty and a true friend to those in her circle. 

    She went on like the rest of us, graduating and taking on a life becoming a mother, wife and registered nurse. Her obituary said she loved gardening and taking in stray dogs. Having four children and 12 grandchildren. As I read on, I kept thinking that she was like me in so many ways. We probably would have been best friends if we would have kept in touch with each other. But we did it. Graduation came and everyone went their separate ways. Like all high school kids do. I'm sure she kept in touch with some classmates, but her and I were not really that close. Still, I was sad that I was reading her name. Wishing I could have told her goodbye...

     Time goes by fast enough. Making one realize all of the things that you should have done. This was another reminder for me. 

     No, Beth sleeps on in a different world. A world we all have yet to meet. I pray her soul lies quietly in the arms of jesus. I'm sure it is, remembering she had such a big, warm heart. 

     Goodbye my friend. Till we see each other again. Pray for me as I will pray for you.