In time, I hope

[redbird]

I just wrote a difficult note.

Not difficult because of anything I've done, or not done. It's an "I'm thinking of you" to a friend who is most likely dying. We aren't and never were incredibly close--that would be a different kind of difficult. But after I posted a cheerful/encouraging message on the Web site her friends are maintaining to keep people informed of how she's doing, I got email from one of her sisters, urging me to get in touch with her soon, while I can.

It's hard to know what to say, when what you want to say is "I miss you, and I'm sorry there won't be a chance for us to catch up and get to know each other better." I did my best--I said I'm thinking of her, and a bit about seeing her at Orycons, and her fine nephew. I used a pretty card, and added stickers to the envelope, to maybe supplement the words I'd had trouble finding.

That'll go out with tomorrow's mail pickup, and I hope it will make its way west in time for my friend to read it, and maybe be lifted a bit thereby. If modern medical science can't do much more for her, neither can I, not from this distance: but words and affection are not empty.

Comments

[ala-too.livejournal.com]

I guessed who you were talking about and made my way back to hear that things don't seem to be going well (and saw your posting there). Like you I'm not incredibly close but we've known each other for a long time. I wasn't sure what to say this time (I'd left a prior posting early on). What's the right protocol when the outlook seems, at best, unclear? Hope you get well seems so hollow. Anyone else better at this than me?