It has been a while

The last entry was about my mother's 100th. Well, she lasted another two months and then decided that was enough, and slipped quietly away. We gave her a good send-off, in a hand-made coffin, and lots of both tears and laughter at the service.

So today I am in Vernon, B.C., where some old friends live. D and I met in grade 11, discovered that we are identical birthday twins, had a shared love of literature, became editors of the high school annual in our graduating year - like brother and sister. We never dated, but when she had a new boyfriend I was the first person she called - and vice-versa...

Then we went to college together, she met P, and that was it. P and I also become closest friends.

That was 50 years ago. I am here in Vernon because P has cancer and probably 2 weeks to live. Can anyone tell me why cancer has come so invasive, so prevalent? I feel so lucky, yet guilty that I have my health at an age that has already taken younger friends and relatives....

In a veil of tears we can only wait...in a veil of tears we can only grieve...in a veil of tears we wait our own fate...in a veil of tears, we can only say goodbye...