A Hug

Some people are just plain good for your soul ~ Mrs. Bishop (and of course I never ever really call her that..) is one of those people.

She came in to pay her bill today, and I recognized her as soon as she walked in the door even though it had been years since I'd seen her.  I had to hug her.  I almost cried.  So much love for her and her family.

Her house was one where I spent many weekends.  Her daughter was my best friend, my other half.. we did Everything together.  Seeing her today brought back a wave of happy memories ~ hours playing in a little upstairs bedroom that I found magical, adventures in the hay loft of the barn, "pool building" in the driveway (only Mr. Bishop didn't think that was as cool as we did).  It was such a huge part of my childhood, my second family.

But, when we were 10 everything changed.  I learned of loss.. We'd planned a sleepover.  She had come and hand delivered the homemade invitation.  I'd packed my bags..  Then my dad, a volunteer on the towns fire/emergency department, got a call.  He wasn't needed for the run and came home.. We later found out about a fallen tree that wasn't seen in time. I didn't unpack my barn of My Little Ponies for quite a while.. I didn't play with them again until my daughter found them in my closet.

Today, I got to hug my best friend's mother.  For a little while, I was a little girl again.