…

I was blindsided when a reminder appeared online of a friend’s birthday.

We’d met at work.

We resonated.

We became friends.

We worked on projects together.

We became better friends.

We weathered storms with each other.

We let situations get more of our attention.

We drifted.

We drifted apart.

We vanished over each other’s horizon.

Or maybe it was a slow fade. Same result: we lost sight of each other.

Innumerable whiffs of “Maybe I should call” or “What happened after whatever it was that happened in the first place?” or “Does anybody know? Anybody? Anything?”

Months.

Years.

Decades.

A nursing home? Can’t be.

Long term care? No way.

Hospital bed.

Recognition.

Reality.

Reconnection.

Regrets.

Resumption.

Relationship.

Renewed Relationship.

Memorial Service.

Reminders.

Not ready.

All I heard was my own hollowness: Gone too soon; too soon gone; still an empty place.

…I miss my friend….