This beautiful exchange

Today marks two years since my friend, Amy, died of breast cancer. In memory of her, I am posting excerpts from the letter that I wrote to her and placed on her grave, just a month after she was buried.

11/18/2005

Amy,

I remember the first time I met you. I couldn’t believe that a woman
who had had two kids looked as great as you did! It took a while for
us to get to know each other, probably because we had VERY different
lives. You were the wife and mother of two young boys, and me, the
graduating college student who couldn’t keep a boyfriend!

I think we really became friends when I moved out near your house and
we decided to become running buddies. Man, I hated getting up at 5:50
every morning to go running! Have I ever told you that I really don’t
like running at all? I agreed to do it because I knew that it was time
I would get to spend with you. I always think of you when I wear my
Polar Bear Run sweatshirt. I was sick that day, but you still
encouraged me to run. Oh how I wanted to stop and walk! When I really
did need a break, you chose to walk with me, instead of continuing to
run. You told me that we were doing it together….and that meant the
world to me. Of course, we still made our best time ever…5k in just
under 30 minutes!…

…Now that I am a wife, I sometimes look to memories of you as an
example of a Godly woman who manages her home and family. I even want
my home to be as peaceful and welcoming as you made yours feel. If I
weren’t trying to watch my calories, I would keep a box of brownies in
the pantry at all times! And, when I have children, I hope to be the
kind of mother that I saw in you. One who was able to truly enjoy her
children and raise them to know God in a very real, relaxed way. Wow,
I was even telling Tony this morning about how you would convince Evan
that he really did like certain foods, just to get him to eat his
dinner! I’m going to try that one day….and I will think of you…

…Amy….goodbye. I will miss you, as I have missed you these two years.
But, I am comforted in knowing that you are home, you are completely
whole, and I will see you again. Until then, I will take on each of
life’s challenges and adventures and say, in the best Amy Briggs’
fashion,…”How hard can it be?”

I love you, friend.

Valerie