Sometimes Happiness Needs a Vacation

It's hard to say good-bye.  Simply put, death sucks.  

This past week has been a mash of different emotions, at moments deep sorrow and then the occasional memory eliciting a smile or laughter.  Happiness doesn't come around much in times of such permanent loss.  Perhaps happiness, like so many stressed out and busy workers, needs a vacation once in a while?  

In happiness's absence a consistent and continual vacillation between sadness and bittersweet comfort takes over -- comfort in the knowledge that the physical pain of terminal illness has ended, solace in sharing the tears with others who are experiencing the same grief at the same time and in the same way, sincere appreciation that my life was touched by someone so special. 

Saturday was spent celebrating the life of one who did so much in her all too brief 38 years.  Her time on this earth was cut short, but her memory will forever be with those who knew her.  I was blessed to be among those who called her friend.  Some of my very best friends from high school were there too.  Lots of stories, warm remembrances and buoying up of spirits . . . while our good friend was not physically present for this photo, her presence and her spirit was felt by each one of us.