Image Jan BaldwinWe have friends coming to dinner on Saturday night. Nothing out of the ordinary perhaps except for one very special reason. 26 years ago, my dearest friend ended our friendship when a business relationship between my then husband & her husband dissolved acrimoniously (living proof for never mixing business with friendship). We'd been bestie's since we were 17, long before we'd met our husbands. It literally broke my heart to lose her & I felt as though the brightest, most luminous light in my life had gone forever. The pain of that loss was deep & constant. Life went on & more children arrived to both families & brief, strained, formal communication occurred each time another baby was welcomed. Then my divorce & the loss of my darling mother followed in quick succession & I needed my friend's support desperately, but sadly she felt unable to reach out.
A few years later, out of that time of anguish & sadness came great joy in the form of the gorgeous MOTH. I sent my friend an invitation to our wedding, & much to my delight she & her husband accepted. Little was said on the night, but they were there sharing our happiness, so I rejoiced in their presence. I felt that a new beginning & a new partner may lead to the wounds being healed between us, but that didn't happen. The years have passed, all our children have grown into wonderful adults & other than Christmas & birthday cards exchanged each year, there's been no contact.
However a little over a year ago, a close mutual friend took matters into his own hands (bless him!) & invited us all to dinner. The boys got on very well, with much in common between them it was like MOTH & my friend's dear husband had known each other forever. The years seemed to just fall away & it was a lovely night. However, reflecting afterwards, I didn't feel things between us had really changed.
Then last month I received a birthday card from her. She wrote that she didn't just think of me on my special day but every day & how great it was to see each other again. I sat out in the garden that day reading her words over & over & the tears came. Tears for the many years we've lost, tears for the special moments celebrated without her, but also tears of hope for a future as friends again. Words aren't needed from either of us, just a gentle look & a loving embrace to happy days ahead.
They have accepted our invitation to dinner on Saturday & I have a feeling that for many reasons, it will be a very special evening.
Oh Miss Millie you made me cry! So pleased for you, have a lovely evening :)
ReplyDeleteOh Millie~ What a story! Something tells me that this may be just the beginning of a whole new relationship. One of more wisdom, of sharing what has transpired through these last years. Perhaps entering into something that may be better, more soulful than what you experianced years ago. I will keep you in my thoughts and I do hope you'll be able to share a snippit or two about your lovely evening together.
ReplyDeleteMillie...With you as the hostess, the evening can be nothing but very special!
ReplyDeleteHi Millie,
ReplyDeleteI hope your evening together is special and that you do get back the friend that you lost. I also have lost a friend through almost the same circumstances and I do think of her often.
I hope one day we will be back in each others lives. It is a really hard road to cross.
Maybe I should make the call soon.
xxx Coty
Aww, Millie, this is so touching. It's obvious how deeply you care for her. What a blessing that you're able to mend those fences and see each other again. I truly hope that you have a wonderful, wonderful evening.
ReplyDeleteMillie, thank you for sharing this story. I hope you have a joyous evening that opens the door to a close, renewed friendship. Over the past 18 months there has been an increasing 'distance' between me & a once close friend - you've inspired me to pick up the phone this weekend and make a concerted effort to close this gap. May you have a wonderful evening.
ReplyDeleteOh Millie this one brought tears...and haven't most of us a story similar to this one...This will probably be the start of many wonderful dinners and times with your very special Friend...enjoy every moment, Dzintra XX
ReplyDeleteCheers to you Millie, for sharing such a personal experience. Ihope you have a wonderful evening and it is the re-blossoming of a beautiful friendship.
ReplyDeletexx
Oh Millie, that story is beautiful, I have big tears rolling down my cheeks.
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a most wonderful special evening!
Oh Millie, thank you for sharing this special story that is so close to your heart. It sounds like she has missed you so much too. You are a warm, loving, giving person. She knows it. She will come back to you. A-M xx
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a MOST delightful evening together filled with new WONDERFUL memories!
ReplyDeleteENJOY!
Fifi
Millie,
ReplyDeleteI am so happy you can your bestie back. DO NOT let anything go unsaid and make sure you are both on the road to a good recovery, and a even more special friendship. I lost my bestie about 7 years ago, tragically. I have never been the same since and it is horrible to know the only time I will ever see her again is in heaven.
you are lucky for the blessed 2nd chance, go for it..and kiss her for ME!! a SPECIAL reunion, indeed!
xoxo
goose bumps Millie. I know you will have an incredibly evening, if not very emotional. I too 'lost' my best friend 8 years ago at an incredible low point in my life and I still find it difficult to come to terms with,mainly because I am really unsure of how it happened.
ReplyDeleteThe wounds are still too raw for me, but I hope in the years to come we both may reach a point where I too can plan for such a special dinner.
Will be thinking of you Saturday night xxx
Have a beautiful evening Millie. Oh how true - business and friendship - what a rotten and horrible combination, xv.
ReplyDeleteMillie it is wonderful you will be coming back to together. I always think your oldest friends are your dearest. I hope you have a wonderful night and the start of new beginnings. Mel xxx
ReplyDeleteHi Millie ... hopefully this will be the first of many such evenings. Relax and enjoy the moment - the future will take care of itself.
ReplyDeleteTrue friendship, unlike love, always last forever xx
ReplyDeleteMillie, thank you for sharing such a personal story. I hope you have a wonderful, evening.
ReplyDeleteYou are a very special!
XXX
V
Have a beautiful and wonderful evening Millie, I am certain it will be very special. Amanda x
ReplyDeleteOH, how I hope all goes beautifully tomorrow night~~~ for you both! (I KNOW it would make both your husbands AND children SOOOO happy,too!)~~~
ReplyDeleteLife is just "too darn short" to let a disagreement, misunderstanding, business and/or a financial catastrophe, or much of ANYTHING, stand between two friends who really love each other ~ NOW's "T-H-E" time to start "fresh", and I wish you ALLLLL my heartfelt best this weekend!!!
Warmly, Linda in AZ
Millie... you made me teary. I'm so glad that you are re-connecting with your dear friend. Have a wonderful evening.
ReplyDeleteI'm reading this on Saturday night, probably as your friends are over for dinner. I hope it is a truly wonderful night, and that it reseals your friendship. You obviously treasure this person, and she is truly lucky to have you as a friend.
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
Catherine xx
Thank you for sharing this story, it certainly gave me food for thought. I hope you have a great evening, no- let me rephrase: I hope you had a great evening (forgetting the time-difference there for a moment) and that you and your friend now are well and truly back in eachothers lives.
ReplyDeleteBtw- love your blog:-))
Greetings from Susanne, all the way from a snowy, cold Norway.
I read this on Friday but I was thinking about you last night (across the waters!) hope it went well and was a very special night.
ReplyDeleteHi Millie...
ReplyDeleteSometimes, life sucks! when you lost a dear friend for life ( you think)
Anyways, glad to hear that her thought of you still there. A good friend forever...
ENjoy every minute. Let by gones be by gones.
Hugs!