Today I am grateful for you, TS², and the time, though not long enough, we had together. TS² is the nickname I had for my friend whom I referred to as “Quality” in a recent post. TS² is at peace now after a lengthy battle with multiple sclerosis. I know in my heart of hearts that she is dancing with the angels, free of her pain, free of her limitations, free of her wheelchair.
TS² stands for Twisted Sister Squared. It is a spin off of the nickname she had for me, Twisted Sister; TS for short. Twisted because of my brand of humour (imagine!) and sister because neither of us had a sister. We were family, no ifs, ands, buts, or maybes and we did not need biology to prove it. We talked like close sisters do, behaved like close sisters do, and shared all our secrets with one another. We celebrated one another’s successes and picked each other up when one of us stumbled (usually me). Sometimes our antics (mosty mine) got us into trouble and other times we escaped (mostly me) just by the skin of our teeth. She was the yin to my yang; the Felix Unger to my Oscar Madison; the good angel to my bad. Most times we were content to just be. Be sisters. Be friends. Be us. We didn’t need to be road runners; we were content just hanging out together. We had expected that we would be twisted sisters for the rest of our lives. I just didn’t know that it would only be for the rest of hers.
I cannot believe that she is gone. I cannot get my head around the fact that I cannot pick up the phone to call her and tell her about my lastest escapade. I cannot tell her how I couldn’t figure out how to get my arm in my jacket yesterday and how I almost started spinning like the Tasmanian devil while trying to line my arm up to its matching sleeve. I cannot tell her how I dropped the one and only deposit envelope I’m allowed to have at my bank’s ATM drive thru and how I couldn’t pick up the envelope because it had fallen too far underneath the jeep. I cannot tell her how I drove ahead, put the jeep in park, got out, walked back and picked up the white envelope which now had a huge tire track across its front because I drove over it when I pulled ahead. I cannot tell her how I finished my bank transaction standing at the ATM drive thru all the while hoping that no one saw me bumbling around like Lucy Ricardo. I cannot tell her how I couldn’t think clearly about how I could have easily solved my dilemma without looking like Lucy by simply cancelling the transaction and starting over because I haven’t been able to thinkly clearly since she died. I cannot tell her how much my heart is hurting and I cannot tell her how much I miss her. But what I can do, is remember.
There is a saying that was found many, many years ago etched on a headstone in Ireland. (Right now TS² is grinning and telling the angels around her, “I knew she’d have to put an Irish spin on this. I just knew it.”) While the author is unknown, the saying goes like this:
“Death leaves a heartache no one can heal,
Love leaves a memory no one can steal.”
It is a saying that I think summarizes death perfectly, at least for me. My heart is aching beyond measure and, logically, I know that there is nothing out there, not a magic pill, not enough hugs, not enough “I’m sorry for your loss” sentiments that will heal my broken heart. It is a grief so strong that it has the ability to single handily rip me apart and bring me to my knees in an instant. I was driving to town the other day not really thinking about anything in particular and, the next thing I knew, tears were streaming down my face. This grief of mine catches me off guard. It comes out of nowhere and slaps me across my face. It knows no boundaries and it does not care what I am doing at the time it hits. It just blindsides me whenever and wherever it wants to.
I know that, over time, my pain will lesson but it will never, ever go away. I know it. I understand it. I feel it. And I respect it. This is the price we pay when we love someone with all our hearts. This price reminds us that we are human and how much we valued and continue to value our loved ones in our lives. This price is how we express our grief and show the incredibly deep love we have for our loved one. And it is a price I would gladly pay a thousand times over just to have the honour of saying that I loved someone with all my heart.
Thankfully, our twisted sisterly love leaves many wonderful memories for me to recall; memories that no one can steal because they are etched in my mind for as long as I remain on this earth. These memories come in my thoughts, my sentiments, my keepsakes, my photos. They are in my hugs, my tears, my smiles, and my heart. They are there at the ready for whenever I need them most. And, while it has taken me several weeks to get to the point where I could even think about writing this post, I am truly grateful for all the memories I have thought of, the photos I have looked at, and the keepsakes I have had to hold on to while I come to terms with my loss.
Even though it will hurt beyond measure, I will remember how every year on my birthday and again at Christmas, TS² gave me another angel for my Willow Tree Angel collection which, of course, she started for me some twelve years ago. She was always quick to remind me how I walk around this earth oblivious to my sense of self and to the effect I have on others. She understood how uncomfortable I was/am at receiving compliments of any kind; yet she admired how easy it was for me to compliment others. She marvelled at how freely I gave of myself, my time, my compassion and my love to others; yet was also perplexed at how I did not give freely to myself. The Willow Tree Angels were her way of complimenting me without having to say a word as well as her way of providing reminders for me of not only how much I meant to her but to those around me. She knew, she just knew how to handle me.
This past Christmas there was an extra present tucked in beside my Willow Tree Angel. As it was handed to me she said, “This is a ‘just because’ gift. I know of no other person who needs this as much as you do.” It was a Dammit Doll! Oh, how I laughed when I read what the Dammit Doll was for … 
And, oh, how I have whacked it, slammed it and dammed it! I cannot help but think that she knew back at Christmas just how much I was going to need it once she was gone. She knew I was going to need something to whack, slam and damm when I got angry at how this horrible disease, multiple sclerosis, took my twisted sister from her family, friends, me, and especially from herself far too early. I also think she knew that I was going to need something to hug which reminded me of her when I was hurting badly from missing her. And, hug it, I have.
When I had my hysterectomy some twelve years ago, I was going on and on about how I was going to have a party to celebrate. I kept talking about how I was going to be so happy to have that part of my health history behind me. TS² laughed at my antics and told me that I had the right attitude about it. “Some women grieve over the realization that they will not have any more children,” she said, “but not you. You’re the only person I know who has said ‘let’s get this party started, baby!'” (See how much more polished she was than I could ever hope to be? I would have said ‘let’s get this party started, bitches!’ and then she would have given me that look like she did in that previous photo of us at the MS Walk.) And party we did. And laughed until our sides hurt. And enjoyed the best darn ice cream cake I have ever had.
(The funny thing about this cake is that, at the time, TS² was unable to drive to pick out the cake herself so she sent her husband with note in hand to our local Dairy Queen. Imagine her husband having to hand that note to the DQ assistant. I bet they have never had a request for a “Happy Hysterectomy” cake before.)
These are just a few of the memories I have in the forefront of my mind. The subtle reminders come in the repetition of her favourite words and phrases (“Well, fine then” and “get er done”); in the televisions commercials for her favourite shows (Murdock Mysteries and the Young and the Restless – damn you, Victor Newman); in seeing her favourite colour (blue) as well as her favourite flowers (roses); and especially when I see someone in a wheelchair. These are the subtle reminders that, when they come out from nowhere, blindside me and bring me to my knees.
But without them and this terrible grief I am experiencing, I would never have known a friendship so true nor a sisterhood so twisted. I find comfort in these memories as well as in the fact that I know that her struggle is over. She is now enjoying a quality of life that most of us just dream about having. I am sure that by now TS² has organized all of heaven, has touched base with her pre-deceased family members, and has cuddled all her beloved pets. I am also certain that she has sought out my father, my beloved paternal grandmother, and my treasured maternal grandfather to share with them all that was our twisted sisterhood. And what a comforting feeling it is knowing those certainties.
While TS²’s death does leaves a heartache that no one could ever heal, the love I have for her leaves many memories that no one can ever steal. That love is so much stronger than any grief I could ever experience; and, for that, I am truly blessed and eternally grateful.
Always remembered and forever in my heart; rest in peace, sweet TS².
So sorry, Sweetie. What a beautiful tribute. I am sure she was very, very proud to be your friend. We have missed your writings, and this was written as skillfully as everything else you write. Losing someone hurts like hell. It hurts because she mattered. {{ hugs }}
Awwww thank you, twinsie Linda, for your beautiful words and especially for the hugs. I can feel the love right through cyberspace. Hopefully, I will get back in to the groove of writing now. TS sqd would be saying, “TS, now get back at it. I know you have it in you. You go, girl.”
She was very lucky and privileged to have you in her life..xo
Awwww thank you, Soul Sister. I am very lucky and privileged to have you in my life xo
Nothing but happy memories! What a lovely tribute to your sister.
Thanks, Wendy. Thank goodness for happy memories! 🙂
I am so sorry for your loss but a beautiful eulogy. At almost 56 I am beginning to lose friends to chronic or unexpected illnesses and it is so hard. Eventually, you feel happy when you remember the good times and realize that she is always with you in your consciousness.
Thank you for your kind words. I will be 53 this Wednesday, June 1st and I have lost way too many friends over the past two years due to chronic illnesses as well. I had a good cry today after finishing my post which was such a big release in and of itself. Thank goodness for happy thoughts and wonderful memories for they certainly help ease the pain. Thanks for dropping by the Cabbage Patch 🙂
You are most welcome. 🙂
A true blessing to have had such a wonderful sister and friend….the blessing went both ways !
Thank you, Tay; I am truly blessed in so many ways.
How I enjoyed sharing your special memories!!!
Barbara, blogging at Life & Faith in Caneyhead
Thank you, Barbara 🙂 I am so happy that you did.
Thank you very much!
What a wonderful send off for your friend. Such special memories! I am truly sorry for your loss, Linda.
Thank you, Noni! I appreciate your kind words. <3
True Friendship is a wonderous thing and your tribute is beautiful. Healing energies to you!
Thank you so much! I appreciate your commenting and stopping by. 🙂
Linda,
As I read your tribute to your friend, tears rolled down my face. My best friend of 37 years passed away in 2009 and I understood perfectly the feelings you described. You walk around numb and as if your right arm has been ripped from your body. You and your friend, the antics, they sounded so much like me and Cynthia. I am truly sorry for your loss, even though I know my words are inadequate. I am praying for you and hope the memories you built together will sustain you over these next days. @sheilamgood at Cow Pasture Chronicles
Thank you for your kind words and for sharing your grief over the loss of your friend, Cynthia, as well. It doesn’t matter how much time has passed since the loss of a loved one, the pain is very real and runs very deep. I am thankful that our paths crossed, Sheila, and I think that our friends would be happy for us as well. Perhaps we will have to engage in a few antics of our own 😉
Oh Lord, do I have tales of antics! Maybe I’ll write a story about some of them. I miss her every day but slowly the tears have turned to smiles – remembering the good times. It will take time but take all the time you need – grief is personal. I’m glad we crossed paths as well and if you ever need to chat – reach out.
Thank you for visiting my site. I found your post a heart aching read, as I had visited mums grave a short while ago and discovered I was in tears and all because they had dumped the grass cuttings close to her plot. She was a very tidy woman with a big heart so I suspect she might be giving out about the grass cuttings but shrugging her shoulders at the same time.
I envied your great relationship with TS2 and can only add that she is watching out for you still. Have a good week.
I am finding that it is the most unlikely of things that trigger my grief and my tears much like you experienced upon seeing the dumped grass clipping near your mum’s grave. Just when we think we have our pain under control, something like that brings it back up to the surface so quickly. I feel your pain as well as understand it. Thank you for stopping by the Cabbage Patch and for taking the time to write your comments. They are truly appreciated! 🙂
I could read only part of your writing, as my own pain at recently losing my mother is so intense. I am with you— your expression describes my feelings perfectly. My mother was 98, but that does not matter. Yes, it was time for her to pass from this world, but that does not matter. Yes, she was in pain, mentally and physically, but that does not matter. She was my mother, my best friend, and my life. We had an unusual mother/daughter relationship because we had so much in common. It was like having a friend to the tenth power. My thoughts go out to you in your grief. I understand your suffering.
Such a beautiful post, Linda. What very special memories that you’ll treasure forever. Thank you for visiting my blog and for the follow. I look forward to reading your posts! Take care, Jenny
Thank you so much for your kind words, Jenny. I really appreciate them <3. I am looking forward to getting to know you and reading more of your blog. Thanks for stopping by the Cabbage Patch 🙂
So sorry for your loss. What a beautiful friendship you two shared. Both of you were blessed with each other.
Thank you for your kind words. We certainly did have a beautiful friendship and were each blessed because of it. I appreciate your stopping by the Cabbage Patch. 🙂
What a beautiful tribute. She sounds like a beautiful person and you two had a truly special friendship, thanks for sharing this post. It was so touching, I have to admit it brought tears to my eyes. It is a pleasure to meet you. I will be following.
Thank you for your kind words and for stopping by the Cabbage Patch.I look forward to getting to know you and to following your blog. 🙂
Likewise, Linda. Thanks. 🙂
Precious memories and a true blessing. So sorry for your loss. ((hugs))
Thank you, Laura!
Oh, Linda. First, you know I am so sorrowful with you on the loss of your friend. And I completely understand that grief that can overwhelm you out of nowhere. The physical ache that ‘this person I love is gone’.
Second, you did indeed write about it beautifully. It is a lovely tribute to your lovely, twisted sister. It’s so full of love, and that’s why we have friendships. And I firmly believe that friends are the family we choose.
Third, I applaud you for writing about this at all. I know it had to be terribly difficult and painful and joyous and sad and heartbreaking and bittersweet. But you did it. You shared your heart, and your friend’s life, and you did it well.
And finally, I am sending you many many hugs across cyber-space. It is true – the amount of grief we feel is in direct proportion to the amount of love we shared. Grief is the price paid for that love, but it is a price that I would pay a million times over, and I know you feel the same.
And finally, a quote from one of my Very Favorite Authors, who left us far too early last year:
“No one is actually dead until the ripples they cause in the world die away…”
― Terry Pratchett, _Reaper Man_
Thank you, Sweet Pea, for your kind and supportive words. I can feel your cyber-hugs around me as I type this. I am so grateful that our paths crossed the blogosphere and that we have become friends because of it. Your friendship is a treasured gift <3. My twisted sister would be so happy knowing this. ~ Hugs ~
P.S. I’d really love one of those hats. 🙂 xox
Aren’t they just the best? And to think they came from Dollarama!
So many fun and sweet memories with TS2:) She sounds like she is now an angel herself:) My condolences to you and yours.
Thank you very much for your kind comments; she is most definitely an angel now. Thanks for dropping by the Cabbage Patch; I am looking forward to following you and your blog.
My pleasure:) Looking forward to connecting more:)
This is a beautiful tribute to your sister, Linda. I don’t think we ever completely get past the loss of a loved one. I still miss the ones I’ve lost over the years. I saw in the comments that today is your birthday, so I’d like to wish you a happy birthday today as well 💜
Thank you so much! I appreciate your stopping by the Cabbage Patch; I am looking forward to following you and your blog.
Now it’s my turn to thank you 😊
So beautiful – I think sometimes we wonder whether the pain is worth it when we love someone this much. But it is, despite all the pain it’s worth it. I’m sorry you lost a soulmate x
Thank you for your kind words. While I miss her terribly, I find comfort knowing that her suffering is finally over. I look forward to getting to know you and to following your blog. Thanks for stopping by the Cabbage Patch 🙂
What a beautiful tribute to your friend. My bestie left this life almost eight years ago after a super battle with Ovarian cancer. She was only 50. I miss her every day and I truly do not think I have the joy of life that I had back when we shared our life together as sisters of the heart. Yesterday would have been her 58th birthday. I was so blessed to have known her and I can’t wait until I get to Heaven and see her waiting there for me with a cup of the best ever coffee and her huge grin!
Thank you for your kinds words and for sharing your grief with me. We are both blessed by having known such beautiful friends in our lives. While I miss her terribly, I find comfort in the fact that her suffering is over. ~hugs~
Thank you for your kind words and for sharing your grief with me. We are both truly blessed to have known such beautiful people in our lives. While I miss her terribly, I do find comfort in the fact that her suffering is finally over. Thank you for dropping by the Cabbage Patch.
I’m so sorry and am sending hugs.
Thank you. Hugs are exactly what I have been needing.
I had exactly such a great friend, my truest of bestest friend who also died from ms. I miss her so.
I know exactly how you are feeling and why you miss your friend so much. We were all blessed to have one another. Thank goodness for the memories we have of them as they make the difficult days a wee bit easier to get through. Thank you for dropping by the Cabbage Patch. I look forward to following your blog. 🙂
Thanks for finding and following my blog! How would you rate your reading experience?
This is such a beautiful post. I cried and I laughed all at the same time. Tears because I can only imagine what you must be going through and because I know to well what this disease takes from us. Laughter because my sister and I have that same kind of bond and I pictured us as you described your memories together. Sorry for your loss.
Thank you so much for your kind comments; I truly appreciate them. Since publishing my tribute to my friend, I have been richly blessed with comforting comments from the blogging community which have been both inspiring and overwhelming (in a good way). I live with a benign form of MS and deal with flare ups every now and then especially when I overdo things. The fatigue is both debilitating and frustrating as you well know.
Watching my friend struggle with secondary progressive MS was the most difficult and heartbreaking experience; losing her battle with it was bittersweet. It was bitter in that it was a hellish thing to watch her terribly suffer because of it and sweet (if that is even appropriate here) in that she no longer had to suffer and exist in chronic pain.
Thanks again for dropping by the Cabbage Patch. I feel united in battling this disease with you (even though we have never met) and find comfort in the fact that you understand the pain associated with living MS as well as the joy in sharing a strengthening bond with someone you love very much. <3
So sorry for your loss. 🙁
Thank you very much for your kind words and for stopping by the Cabbage Patch.
So nice a tribute, yeah our memories stay for ever, with prayers n warm wishes.thank you for your visit and follow my blog.
Thank you for your kind words and for stopping by the Cabbage Patch. I look forward to following your blog and getting to know you.
How lucky you were to have each other. A wonderful tribute.
Thank you and, yes, we were lucky to have each other <3. I am also lucky that you stopped by the Cabbage Patch; I look forward to getting to know you!
I am so, so sorry for your loss! How blessed were you to find and share your life together as friends and soul sisters. It’s a very rare gift many of us never get to experience. Love to you. x
Thank you for your kind comments and for dropping by the Cabbage Patch. Since posting my tribute to my friend, I have been truly blessed with so many wonderful and comforting comments from fellow bloggers whom I have never had the pleasure to meet. The blogging community is wonderfully supportive and kind. I am looking forward to getting to know you and to following your blog. Have a wonderful day! 🙂
It’s really nice to meet you. Your story is a special one! I look forward to following your journey also! Take care of yourself. A.
Hey Patchy. I have tears, this is such a beautiful tribute. I am sorry for the enormous loss that you’re feeling right now but happy that you had someone you loved so much in your life. And I know that the pain will ease in time, even if it never goes away completely.
Awww thank you, Michelle ~ I truly appreciate your kind comments and draw much comfort from them. <3
xxx
Grief is all encompassing and you can’t explain it until you’ve experienced it. Be kind to yourself my lovely, you are on a journey. Don’t let anyone tell you how it should be – it’s as individual as you are. You have memories, hold onto them. Virtual hugs from one who knows.
Thank you for your kind comments; I truly appreciate them (especially the virtual hugs). Grief truly is all encompassing; I am so grateful that I wrote the tribute to my friend as I believe it was the first important step in my journey through grief. In addition, by publishing my post, I have received the most comforting comments from people I have never met who have taken time out of their busy days to help me come to terms with my loss. The blogging community is truly a wonderful place and I am so happy that our paths have crossed. I am looking forward to getting to know you and to following your blog. 🙂
A touching tribute.
Thank you and thanks for stopping by the Cabbage Patch! 🙂
I love your honesty on the topic of grief. I am convinced that only those who have really loved deeply will grieve deeply. There really are no words to take away the pain but know that my prayers are with you on this journey through that very lonely place. I have a “twisted sister-in-law” and your relationship with your friend reminds me so much of the one that I share with her.
Thank you for your kind comment and for your thoughts and prayers. I am so happy that I stumbled across your blog this afternoon and I look forward to getting to know you and to following your blog.
I told myself at the beginning of my blogging journey that I would always be honest about my feelings and experiences. Thankfully, I tend to write straight from the heart which really helps me along the way.
I hope you enjoyed your visit here in the Cabbage Patch 🙂 (PS: I truly believe that everyone should have a “twisted sisterly” friendship in their lives.)
Oh, what a wonderful tribute. I am so glad you had such a wonderful person in your life.
Thank you so much for your kind comments. I am looking forward to following your’s and Choppy’s adventures!
As with everyone else who has commented, a fitting tribute to a dear friend. My mom passed away in April at the tender age of 96. I had made peace with her years ago. I think that helped ease her passing. I usually write essays. For her, it was a poem:
https://martinstrees.wordpress.com/2016/02/19/back-to-iowa/
May it speak to you as your words have touched others.
Thanks for writing.
Martin.
I cannot adequately expressive what it meant to me that you shared your poem with me. It truly spoke to me and I have book marked it to return to when I need to. I appreciate your comments as well as your time in writing them. Thank you so much for dropping by the Cabbage Patch; I look forward to following your blog.
Crying this morning, reading this. Thank you so much for sharing it. It is rare and difficult to find such a true friend. Hugs to you!
Thank you, Melissa, for the hugs. I really needed them today. I am so looking forward to following your blog; you had me as soon as I read the title. Thanks for dropping by the Cabbage Patch! 🙂
🙂
Beautifully written by a beautiful friend.
Thank you; your comments mean the world to me. 🙂
And thank you for following my blog.
You’re very welcome. I am so happy to have found you. 🙂
What a moving tribute to your friend. Rich in memories and nostalgia, as it should be. We can’t change what happens but we sure as heck can remember the good times…wonderful, touching piece and I do hope you find your way through the grieving. You have a very generous heart.
Hope you don’t mind another follower
No, I certainly don’t mind another follower especially when they write such wonderfully beautiful comments such as yours! Thank you for dropping by the Cabbage Patch and for taking the time to write your comments. Your words bring me tremendous comfort and I am happy to have them to look back on during those moments when my grief tries to take over. You rock!
This is good…because I followed you anyway 😁 I do try hard to engage blogs but often it is sporadic and time is often cruel…I miss posts too….my reader has them flying down so fast and my email notifications is becoming overlong…but one tries ones best 😊
And if my comment brings a smile then that is enough to make me feel that blog engagement is very rich and deserves more…grief, I find, is never really lost…sometimes it creeps in unexpected and those are the times to embrace the good times….in fact my latest post rambles in similar fashion towards the end….it was a difficult write….stay strong and remember the good times….I may say that a lot !
So sorry to hear this…But what a great sister you guys are…looks like way to much fun you two had lol..
I must get one of those dolls or two…any idea where I can find one or hell I may try to make one but buying one would be more fun lol…I really need one BAD ..can you tell lol..
Thank you for following me and reading some of my blog post I do appreciate it very much taking the time to do so..I hope that you enjoyed it and stay around to visit …I followed you as well since I love your style girl..
Huggggs
Suzette
Thank you, Suzette, for dropping by the Cabbage Patch and for your kind words. Yes, we surely did have a lot of fun and remembering our antics helps me get through those moments of grief that catch me off guard. I am looking forward to getting to know you and to following your blog.
Btw, you can check out the Dammit Dolls here, dammit: https://dammitdolls.com/Home. I LOVE mine and do not know what I’d do without it 😉
Thank you as well and stop over anytime too…. : ) The feeling is mutual in getting to know each other my friend..
OMG GURL….lmao..I saved the link you gave me lol..I must have a FEW!!!!
Thank you again and speak soon..and thank you for that link I love these lmao but in so need like I said of a few lol
Have a wonderful day
Huggs
Suzette
What a wonderful and special tribute to your friend. Will follow, thanks for following mine.
Thank you for your kind comments and for dropping by the Cabbage Patch. I look forward to following your blog. What a wonderful way to connect! 🙂
I originally thought it would take me forever to read this long post, so I planned to skim and see what it was about. When I finished reading the first sentence, then the first paragraph, then the second paragraph, I knew I wasn’t skimming and there wasn’t a chance I would either. Your tribute to your TS² is so heartwarming, and so heartbreaking at the same time I found myself smiling while crying the rest of the way through. I feel so sorry for your loss, but so happy you had such beautiful and fond memories with her. My heart goes out to you, her family, her friends, and everyone else whose lives she has touched, for she must have been one heck of an amazing person to make such an impact on your life.
Thank you so very much for your kind comments and for reading my tribute to my beloved TS². While difficult to write, it was such a cathartic and therapeutic experience for me and I can’t help but feel that she would be deeply touched to know how much she meant to not only me but to her family and friends as well. I cannot adequately express how much your comments mean to me but please know that you have deeply touched my heart today. Thank you for that and for dropping by the Cabbage Patch. I look forward to following your blog as well. 🙂
It was my pleasure, I usually don’t get time to read many posts but after beginning to read yours, I could feel the pain and sorrow but most of all I could feel the love you have for her and it resonated with me. You have a beautiful love filled soul, and I look forward to reading more of your blog when I get more time.
🙂 I am going to pass on your beautiful comments to her family as I know how much they will mean to them. You have a beautiful love-filled soul yourself. Thank you for that.
Great post Linda 😃
Thank you so much and thank you for dropping by the Cabbage Patch. I hope you enjoyed your visit.
Thanks for sharing this lovely story and friend with all of us. What a blessing it was that you both had each other for the time you did. A true blessing! 🙂
Thank you, Kristy, for your kind comments. We truly were blessed to have each other. I treasure those blessings immensely. 🙂
So sorry for your loss. It sounds like an amazing friendship – the kind one is lucky to have. I can see how much you appreciated that, but I know that makes things even more painful now. Keep going, keep loving.
Thank you so much for dropping by the Cabbage Patch and for your kind comments. I truly appreciate your encouragement and I look forward to following your blog and to getting to know you. 🙂
I am sorry for your deep loss, but can celebrate, as well, the rich, rich legacy of the two of you. 🙂 A friendship like yours is eternal.
Thank you for your kind comments and for dropping by the Cabbage Patch. I look forward to following your blog and to getting to know you. 🙂
Beautiful friendship, fabulous writing, Linda.
Thank you! I truly appreciate your kind comment and your dropping by the Cabbage Patch! 🙂
A truly fitting tribute to a much loved and missed friend ..I loved the line “We had expected that we would be twisted sisters for the rest of our lives. I just didn’t know that it would only be for the rest of hers. It encapsulates exactly the words I couldn’t find when my beloved friend passed. Thank you for your follow 🙂
Thank you so much for your kind words; I truly appreciate them. It really is hard to find the exact words to encapsulate the feelings of grief that result from losing a beloved friend; I am glad that I could help you articulate yours. Thank for dropping by the Cabbage Patch. I look forward to following your blog. 🙂 <3
I hope you find another good friend although no one will replace her…I also hope you enjoy folowing my blog like I will yours …Have a lovely day 🙂
This is such a beautiful post! I’m sure your Twisted Sister was there with you in spirit as you drove over the envelope with the huge tire mark and it and laughed hysterically. I haven’t read the other comments for this post, so please excuse me if I repeat myself. People deal with the loss of a loved one differently, but it sounds like you are doing okay. Crying at random times has definitely happened to me too when it comes to my Dad, I’m not sure if I am filled with such emotion that it just comes out or if a flood of emotions and thoughts and memories take over. Either way, it is all part of the mourning process. Your friend will always be with you in spirit, which is a very comforting thought <3
Thank you so much for your kind and comforting words. I am doing much better and, it is as if writing my tribute was the release I truly needed to begin the heal process. And, you are right, she definitely was there in spirit when I drove over the envelope leaving the huge tire mark on it; I can easily picture her shaking her head at me while I was doing it, chuckling under her breath. She always enjoyed hearing about my latest escapades and she was my biggest cheerleader when it came to this blog. With every post I write from here on in, I will write it as if I am telling it to her for the first time. Thank you for dropping by the Cabbage Patch.
Very inspirational!
Thank you and thanks for dropping by the Cabbage Patch. 🙂
Such a wonderful tribute to your friendship, thanks for liking my post
Thank you for your kind comment and for dropping by the Cabbage Patch. I look forward to following your blog. 🙂
Special friends like that never leave us. They become our guardian angels and are always beside us until we meet again. On a starry night look up to the heavens and find the brightest, twinkling star then smile right back at her.
Oh, Rasma, thank you for this. I will look for the brightest twinkling star on the next starry night and smile back at her. This is such a lovely way to remember her and I truly appreciate your taking the time to suggest it. I am deeply touched. Thank you for dropping by the Cabbage Patch. 🙂
A very lovely tribute, Linda. Thank you for the follow and nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you, too! Thank you fro dropping by the Cabbage Patch :).
This is a beautiful tribute. I understand what you mean about grief being a price. So true, but so worth it.
Thank you, Tamara, for your kind comment and understanding. I really appreciate it :).
Oh my! What an amazing friend you were and her to you. I’m so sorry for your loss. You were both blessed to have each other. Fantastic memories to share with us. A big hug from a southern sass 😘
Thank you for your kind comments and especially for the big hug which coming from a southern sass is extra special. I am happy that I came across your blog and I am not only looking forward to following it, I am looking forward to getting to know you. Thanks for stopping by the Cabbage Patch! 🙂
Thrilled you stumbled upon mine first so that I could meet you here in blog land! You had me at Cabbage Patch! I’m 44 years old and I had a cabbage patch doll named Tiffany Puddin’ Pie when I was a kid LOL 🙂
This is truly written with all your heart. You have precious memories of your friend and I believe if you look hard enough she will send you signs from above. Sorry for your loss.❤️
Thank you so much for your kind words. They truly mean the world to me. I agree that she will be sending me signs from above and saying,a “Oh, come on TS, I’ve been right here all along!”. That’s just the way she was. 🙂
If someone could write that much about me, posthumously or still alive, I would be quite amazed! Your friend was lucky to have you. And vice versa of course. And I have a Nissan Versa. I don’t mention this just because of the Versa similarity, but because my phone insisted on capitalizing Versa. It’s a touching memoir!
Lovely, heart-felt feelings honoring your dear friend. Condolences.
Thank you for your kind words. They are very much appreciated 😊
Hi Linda… I’m so sorry for the loss of your dear friend; the kind of friend that one cherishes; who loves us and accepts and understands us so well; as it seemed she did. Take care! Diane
Thank you, Diane, for your kind comments and for stopping by the Cabbage Patch. While I still cannot believe my friend is gone, I am finding comfort in my memories of the time we shared together which makes each day go by a bit easier. 🙂
Your beautiful words made me weep. The most beautiful eulogy I have ever read and you are such a talented writer. My heart breaks for your loss and if you ever feel the need, please drop in and visit me. I didn’t know Deb very well, just from our MS Support Group meetings, but wish I had somehow been able to get to know her better as she sounds quite amazing, as do you. I have felt such loss and I know how you are feeling now. It doesn’t really go away, you just learn to live with it. I hope you will call me (432-1485) and I can at least get to know you. You are in my thoughts.
Jo-Anne Matthie
Thank you very much for your kind words, Jo-Anne. It’s hard to articulate just how much they mean to me and knowing that you took the time out of your day to write them to someone you have never met has affected me very deeply. Also, thank you for sharing your number with me. My husband and I are off to our cabin in the woods tomorrow for another week of holidays; in the meantime, I will send you a friend request on FB before I leave so that we can be in touch that way too. Looking forward to meeting and getting to know you! <3