13 years

We went to see her last night, my mom and I.  Our friend of 40 years is very sick in earthly words.  She knows her Savior, she knows us inside out, but she is still sick.  If a thousand "I love you's" could save her from the valley's we find ourselves in on earth...
she would have been pulled out with human words a long time ago.
But, as we talked to her and she laid in the bed, soft grey curls on her pillow... the words on her night stand read about Jesus being in the valley with us.  You could feel his presence in the room as we read the bible verse on the card.
Her breath catching and the work of taking a pill exhausting her from the movement.
Mom laid on the bed next to her and they held hands, not speaking, just sharing each others breaths, first one and then the other.
Linda is 13 years younger than my mom who just turned 80 on March 13th.
She is 13 years older than me.
And the memories wash over me and a joyful sadness fills my heart...
years of laughter, sorrow, pain, but most of all joy.  I feel as though I want to live in this moment forever and I kick myself for not having a camera.
I want to snap a picture of those hands clasped together holding on, laying on the soft bed of life.
His voice comes to me,
"you have a picture my child, it is etched in your soul".
I lift up my voice to the heavens and pray healing for our dear friend. Wisdom to the Dr.'s that will be looking at all the papers,
from all the tests,
that have filled her days these last 3 months...
and I give thanks to Him for this moment...
as I feel Him etching it in my heart.  As my soul cries out for mercy I can see through my tears, a beautiful picture of friends that never say good-by.  They only speak with the pictures etched deeply within their souls...
until we meet again.