The Gathering.....

A few years ago a dear friend that I worked with lost her husband. Instead of a traditional funeral her family had a "gathering". A Memorial Service that gave family and friends a chance to share memories and tell stories.I thought it was a wonderful event and shared my experience with my friends. And so the tradition of a "gathering" continues with my friends.

One of my oldest friends offered her house as place for the gathering to take place. The people there are what I consider extended family. I wasn't quite ready to see a lot of people and was still seeking closure. This was a step in that direction. There were 13 people present. Each one played a different part in my life....some of the ties were co-workers who became personal friends.....some have been friends for over 30 years. The company was wonderful, the conversation comfortable and a nice evening.....just what I needed. Before the evening ended I told each person why I had included them as part of the evening.....from my friend who also has family far away, to the boss who became a friend, to the work director with whom I have share an emotional year, to the first person I worked with when I moved to Columbia, to the friend who also had a Mom named Irene, to the friend who laughed when we talked about a car ride with my mom where she was making me crazy, to the friend who spent an evening in my house just following my Mom around the kitchen cleaning up after her and finally, the friend who had met my Mom when she was just 33.....

I like the idea of a gathering.....there was some laughter, some tears and a lot of hugs. Just a small step in the healing process......and an evening my Mom would have enjoyed.