debbie

Tom, one of my best friends, just lost his mom last week to amyloidosis. Things had been somewhat hopeful for a heart transplant and some other therapy, but unfortunately her body just couldn't hang in there quite long enough. Thankfully all the kids and Tom Sr. were there for her from Sunday/Monday (when she took a bad turn) through July 4 when she died.

Debbie was so fun; in the times I spent with her we laughed: with her - and at her - because of her youthfulness and quirkiness. Conversations ranged from serious to silly to practical to musical. She loved all of Tom's friends, and was unfailingly interested in and kind to all of us. This might seem silly, but one of the best gifts I received from her was her time: she would go shopping with me. I'm a lousy shopper, especially when it comes to clothes, and several times Debbie took me under her wing, and worked with me till we found good stuff. The things we found are still many of the mainstays in my closet.

Debbie was also a model - in a true, non-sappy sense of the word - of generosity and hospitality to me. I knew her so little in comparison with the rest of her family, but the loss for me is real, and hard. I lost a friend. How much more her family is suffering this loss... I pray God's comfort and presence to be really felt for them as they adjust to this loss. And I look forward with them, I think, to again being able to laugh with - and at - her someday. Hooray for heaven!