By the sea

Yesterday, I sat by the sea.  It was the perfect day...sunny, warm, with a slightly cool breeze.  I pondered how fortunate I am to be here; how I don't want to take for granted one moment.

As the day waned, I thought about my friend, Nancy Kirksey, who died on Tuesday morning.  I still cannot believe it.  She was a friend with whom I was closer several years ago than I have been in recent years, simply because we did not see each other very often.  I actually ran into her over the holidays, and we stopped and got caught up.  Every time I would see her, we would hug, and I would tell her that she was one of my all time favorite people.  She truly was.

Nancy came from a family of servants.  Her daddy was the candy man at church for years; the first person all the children wanted to see when service was over.  He was the kind of man who searched for opportunities to serve.  Once he and his son were doing construction work at our house, and I came home to find him washing my dirty dishes.  I will never forget him telling me that a man should make enough money to take care of his family and to help others.  He lived that.

Nancy's nephew is, arguably, my son's best friend....another servant.  Jim is who people call when they need a helping hand.  Her niece is a good friend of my daughter's; another niece is one of my favorite young women at church.  Her brother and sister-in-law are people I dearly love.  They are a family of servants.  Nancy was no exception.

She and I, along with several other people who are so important to me, served as craft ladies at church camp.  There was no job that Nancy would not do....always eager to help.  She gave great hugs.  She had a very distinctive voice, somewhat raspy...always welcomed.  In my mind I can hear her laughing.  That is the first thing I thought of when I heard she had died....that her laugh would be greatly missed by all those who love her.  She had beautiful eyes, a winning smile.

Because I am by the sea, I will not be able to be at the visitation today, nor the funeral tomorrow.  Too many times in recent years have I stood in that hallway waiting to offer sincere, yet inadequate condolences to family members.  Too many times in recent months have I expressed to young widowers my sorrow at their loss.  There was a time when I thought funerals to be barbaric, but now I know they are great avenues for finding closure after such a loss.  I would love to give Charlie and Ramona big hugs, and cry with them.

Yesterday, by the sea, I sat in the waning of the day listening to songs of praise and lament, thinking of my friend, Nancy Kirksey, praying comfort and blessing on her husband, daughters, brother, sister, sister-in-law, nieces, nephews and co-workers.......all those who knew, loved, and will miss her.   She will not soon be forgotten.