My Friends

 

I started this blog because I had lost my best childhood friend and she meant the world to me.  A few years had went by, but the pain or memory of her never faded.  I didn't have anyone to talk to that didn't have to have an explanation of why I was calling when I called or why I started talking in the middle of a conversation, because she just knew, and vice versa.  I had become a caregiver for my parents, and outside of the Shankster, and the boys didn't have much in the way of friends, let alone good friends.  I felt like I had lots to say, no one to say it to and thought this blog would be a nice way to do that, whether it got out to anyone else didn't matter, just that I got to say something made me feel better as missing my friend was a bit more than I could bear.

In the process, I had the pleasure of "meeting" if you will, a lot of people who became friends...good friends.
Not just thru this blog, but blogs I found accidentally.  And I didn't just talk with these friends thru this or their blogs, but thru regular mail, and email on a somewhat regular basis.  It came to make my life without my friend a bit easier to bear, only by having others to talk to who didn't judge me whatsoever, would welcome me with open arms when I needed a friend or advice or simply to talk or joke.

Then there was Bill.

 I stumbled upon Bill's Blog by chance thru another blog I accidentally came across.  Bill became a close friend who wrote about his daily life caring for his mom. He was always there to lend a hand at some kind of advice, whether it was about the caregiving or life in general.  He seemed to have a ton of friends he had met thru the internet and beyond that would stop by and comment regularly. He responded to each and every comment made on his blog.  Something I thought was just great.  When I would get frustrated with certain things concerning health/parents or just life in general, I would mention it to Bill, but then felt bad for bothering him with such petty things, I mean, what did he really care,  He was just someone I met on the internet...wasn't he?

 NO!   Absolutely not, he was a good friend that seemed to take the place of my best friend I lost. He even called me his sister from another mother.  He would never let me get in that mode of feeling bad or feeling that I was bothering him, he was always there when I needed him and he didn't mind at all.  

He was that way I believe with everyone, and would ask for good vibes and prayers for anyone who needed them, he seemed to always be there to help.  He was a great business man, had so many accomplishments in his life.  He was such a jokester, most every day had something to joke about, usually pertaining to himself.  He once posted a picture of himself with 2 different pairs of shoes on, that he had actually went out to the doctor office wearing.
 He made me feel like I had known him all my life, as did all of his friends on the blog, but for this post, I will speak about 2 of them and they are Pat and DanaRae.

Pat and DanaRae both helped me thru some rough times and more.  Who would think that people scattered across the world sharing feelings on a blog would care about me and the problems I was having?  Some days I didn't make it to the blog, some times it would be a week or more, when something in my life just didn't let me take the time to sit and get on the computer to read....but when I did, they all wanted to know just what was going on with me and the Shankster and dad. That is how Bill's Blog was.... a caring bunch of folks.

In October of 2012 Pat lost her battle with Lung Cancer.  No one knew she had it except Bill and DanaRae.  She had told them specifically to not post about her, but Bill being Bill, did post about a friend needing prayers, he didn't mention her name, but did ask for prayers for her prior, something he did for everyone he knew that was in need of a prayer.  

On March 6th, 2013 Bill very suddenly without warning, passed away, from a medical complication.  March 30th, DanaRae passed away, also, suddenly, to the same. 

The Blog has come to an end.  I go there each day still, thinking this is all a dream that the 3 backbones of this blog, are gone in less than 5 months.  But yet think that it is fitting they all go together, as they spoke to each other each day, either thru the blog, email or by phone....so why shouldn't they all be together now, sitting on the cloud above.

I have made other friends thru Bill's blog who I try to keep in contact with thru FB, one of them told me they thought too it fitting they all go together, and for those of us left we should carry on the torch for them, as they were all caring, giving, generous people, how nice to try to carry on the circle of friendship they created.

When Pat died, Bill wrote a memorial and posted this poem, reading it made me cry then as it was about Pat and he mentioned she would be able to answer yes to each question.....but now it makes me smile as I know they all could answer yes.




Is anybody happier today because you passed their way?
Does Anyone remember that you spoke to them today?
The day is almost over and its toiling tolling time is through
Is there anyone to utter a kindly word of you?
Can you say tonight in parting with the day that's slipping fast,
That you helped one of the many that passed your way?
Is a single heart rejoicing today over what you said or did?
Does the man or woman whose hopes were fading, now look ahead with courage?
Did you leave a trail of kindness?
As you close your eyes in slumber will God welcome you in his home?


RIP Bill, Pat and DanaRae

I will miss you all dearly.