Thursday, January 11, 2018
Carmen and I shared a friendship for 13 years when we both moved from northern VA to Bedford, VA--out in the country--where, actually, we both came from! We lived on back-to-back properties in a beautiful valley of the Blue Ridge Mountains. We both loved mountains and trees, probably because, coincidentally, we both grew up in the Sunflower State--Kansas--which has few of either!
We were a part of a group of "Neighborhood Ladies", and at that time I was the youngest, and Carmen was the oldest. We just clicked together and bonded in spite of it. We had so much in common. Carmen would say, "Let's go running!", and off we'd go anywhere and everywhere. One time we took a road trip back to our home state to visit family members, but, unlike when we travelled the same miles, always in a hurry with our respective spouses, we took the time to stop and see the sights along the way--the arch in St. Louis, MO; the National Quilt Museum in Paducah, KY; and even a drive to Santa Claus, IN!
One of my favorite memories is celebrating Carmen's 75th birthday with dinner at the Craddock Terry Hotel in Lynchburg, VA. Thanks to a surprise limousine to and from, compliments of Woody, we all got to experience a bucket list event! I have added two very special photographs of the occasion we shared.
Here are 10 adjectives that easily come to mind, as I grieve the loss of my friend. Carmen was beautiful--inside and out, kind, generous, a good listener, fun-loving, devout in her faith, cheerful, optimistic, well read, and loving. There are so many more. She liked butterflies, the color purple, and desserts. I am very proud to have known her and called her my friend.
After she and Woody moved away to northern VA, she and I still kept in touch through telephone calls that, unfortunately, became less and less frequent. A month before she died, Carmen sent me a text message that said how much she enjoyed reading my Facebook posts, because they kept her in touch with the real world. I was to call her between Christmas and New Year's, but that didn't happen.
I am so thankful to remember that every time we did speak, we ended our conversation saying, "I love you." Some may think that unusual, but for us, "good-bye" just didnt seem right. It still doesn't. I love you, Carmen!
