Flowers For Betty

Last Wednesday, at about this time in the afternoon we were returning from Nashville and from the funeral of my best friend, Betty. Because of the Parkinson's she was so cruelly afflicted with for the past four years,and most horrifically this past year, her passing was expected. Nevertheless, when that call that you never want to make or receive came, I was not prepared.

There is much, everything, that I could write here if it words had not abandoned me. I could write about travels together or funny stories (that perhaps only the two of us would find funny) or I could describe for you the some of the little pictures that pop up in my mind along with snippets of conversations. I could tell you about books, music and authors we both loved...even recipes. And definitely I could tell you about the love we both had for each other's children.

After a beautiful service at Christ Church, Betty was buried near a copse of trees in a field on the family farm. The casket was covered with flowers from her gardens that she so loved. There will be a stone and moss covered timber fence around the site and on the grave, friends will place wildflowers from their own gardens to grow in glorious remembrance of this very special person. Betty always had flowers around her.

I walked alone on Thursday, the day after the funeral, out past our cabin and on to the levee. I had not planned the walk to be about Betty. I walk everyday and as I left the house I expect I was just going on a walk. As I rounded the corner of the cabin however, I was ambushed by flowers, by grief and love and above all, I think, gratitude.

Betty would have loved her service, the burial, the gathering of friends - all of it, every minute, was so in honor of what and who she loved. And Betty would have loved the walk with me that morning. The wildflowers pictured here are from that walk and, while everyone of them felt that morning like a gift from my friend, they are here as my tribute to her. I am grateful beyond words to have been Betty's friend and to have her as mine.