For Glenda: September 7. 2006

Words for a passing friend

We lost a friend today.
Cancer stole her body, her health.
Though it tried, it couldn't dim her spirit,
couldn't change her strength even as it sapped her energy,
couldn't diminish her joys and hopes
for those she dearly loved
even as it wound down her heart's clock.
Too young with too much left to do,
no one had her long enough,
and we, we wish she'd had more, so much more.
We lost a friend today;
one with wit who joked about dimmer switches
even as that switch dimmed even more
leaving us in the dark.
Yet we must smile as we remember bits and pieces
of lost conversations, gentle hugs and puppy past-times,
of hearing her talk of her children and her dreams.
Memory smiles yet again
and the darkness dims.
We lost a friend today
but she shines in our hearts,
oh...yes... she shines ever brightly.