A Heavy Heart

Meredith

My heart is heavy tonight. After a long day before an even busier evening back at school with the band/jazz concert on my horizon, I opened the computer to find that Elizabeth Edwards had passed on after her struggle with cancer. I feel for her family and friends and their profound loss and applaud her courageous struggle against a horrible disease that steals far too many loved ones every year. I carry a dear best friend in my heart and live a little extra for her everyday since she is no longer with me. My best friend Meredith lost her battle with cancer May 2, 2007. She struggled but her lung cancer had spread to more than her body and strength could fight off. Meredith made my life richer and fuller. She was part of a family that I had made in Lawrence. Her absence makes my days a bit lonelier but her fingerprint on my life and heart will remain forever

I carry so many memories of her with me on a daily basis. Her great love of beauty, kindness and passionate nature helped form a great deep bond between the two of us. She got me when others thought I was nuts. I could confide in her without worry of judgment. It was great comfort and fun to have her as my friend. We shared our obsessive natures over many things together Period dramas, romance novels, music, love and our families. I believe that somehow we all ended up on our street by some great guiding hand. It was a comfort to hear their house full of noises and know that when similar noises came from my own open windows, I was not the only one who had a wild and passionate home. After we laid her to rest our block became a little more quiet and sadder. I am sure after the rains clear and the summer sun warms our streets our hearts will again be full. We will begin to smell the BBQ grills, play flashlight tag, ride bikes and mourn her loss because our communal suppers will have just a little less flair and class.

My dear Mere we are lonelier but richer for having you! We are keeping our promises to you and watching your children.

I miss you.