My Friend Emma

 

When I was a little girl, I had a special friend, Emma. She lived across the street.  We did everything together. When I was in second grade we both got Terri Lee dolls complete with trunks of matching doll clothes our mothers had hand sewn for us. One Easter we got "twin" Cocker Spaniel puppies from the same litter. Even though she was two years older than I, our friendship endured and strengthened through junior high and high school. The year she graduated from high school  I moved away from the small West Texas town where we grew up. Then she got married and I got involved in my new high school.

While I was attending TCU, she and her husband moved to Arlington and we were frequently together again. When she had her only son, Kyle, I felt like an aunt. We both got  busy with our lives but we managed to keep in touch by phone and letters (no Internet then). As the years went by the frequency of our communication lessened but we ALWAYS talked at least twice a year. She called me on my birthday and I called her on hers. This went on for over 40 years.

  Then one year I didn't get my birthday call. I didn't worry thinking maybe she just forgot. I said to myself that I'd call her soon. "Soon" didn't come and two or three years went by. When I finally decided to call, her phone was no longer in service. I began an Internet search for her. After about 30 minutes, I located her death certificate.  After I went to bed that night I shed silent tears for the loss of my friend Emma. These were tears of sorrow and regret. It hurts to know that she's no longer there.  I feel so sad that I got "too busy" to keep in touch with her.

Tomorrow (April 25) is Emma's birthday.  If  you have an old friend that you've gotten out of touch with, please take a few minutes out of your busy life to get in touch with him/her today or tomorrow. Say, "I love you," or "I think of you often," and "You are important to me." Do this in honor of Emma's and my friendship.  Happy birthday to you, my dear friend, Emma.

Afterword:  I first published this as a note on my Facebook page over a year ago.  I revised it some to post here in honor of what would be her 72nd birthday.  I think this is an appropriate forum for it.   I hope that it will encourage  you to contact an old friend.  If you do, please post information about it in the comments section below.  I'd love to see dozens of comments, but even only a couple would be rewarding. Thanks for reading.  CMU