True Blue- The Splendor of Friendship

true blue:

marked by unswerving loyalty

Hey Love…in jackson hospital in montgomery. chronic heart failure they say. on lasix and will be here a couple days. going to bed soon please pray. docs don’t know why its happening. Let’s talk tomorrow if you can…i love you… It was March 9, 2018 when I received a message from one of my longest, dearest friends.

It jarred me to my core.

Suddenly, coloring my roots didn’t matter.

Other worries vanished.

She can’t die. Not yet. We need more time together; already, I’m thinking of myself.  I need Dolly in my life. She is part of me.

Praying and trusting aren’t congruent with worry. But, right now I don’t feel full of faith. In between my worrisome selfish thoughts I’m thinking of her precious husband, kids and grandkids and how much they need her to be healthy. 

We met while attending the University of South Alabama. We were fellow Jesus Freaks and fast friends. She was a cool hippy-type and I was good girl and people pleaser. We both needed Jesus. Even though our backgrounds and personalities were different, God knitted our hearts and we became sisters. Dolly’s a natural born leader; I’m a follower. She’s a risk-taker; I like sameness. She’s the confident one; I’m great behind the scenes support. It’s amazing and wonderful how God weaves his family together.

Dolly’s dad was in the Air Force so she’d travelled the world. I travelled with my family in the south.

She was generous. I wore her clothes all the time. She had nice stuff and shared it with me like it was ours.

Dolly was in both of my weddings. The one that happened in the seventies didn’t last, as much as I tried. She stuck with me while I navigated my sorrow and grief.

I was alone with my young son when my second child’s birth was imminent. Dolly and her husband invited us to stay in their home. It was a good thing, too, because my water broke in the middle of the night! Along with other friends, they got me to the hospital and Dawn was born pretty quickly.

Sometime later we realized that Dawn had severe cognitive issues. Dolly spent days making phone calls, searching for answers, while I taught school. She found a resource for my daughter: Magnolia Speech School. I quickly enrolled Dawn and it proved to be what she needed in that season.

When my wonderful second husband came along, Dolly threw us a beautiful engagement party, helped me decide on all the wedding apparel, and of course, stood beside me during our wedding all those decades ago.

A while back, before her health crisis, Dolly called me. In a few minutes tears came to my eyes. I’ve known her most of my life!  It’s a magical thing to freely share your feelings—to be yourself, tears and all. It wouldn’t be my first cry with her or my last. Once, after a reunion with friends, she congratulated me for not over-crying.

The longer I live, the more I cherish relationships. What else matters? They’re richer than a decadent chocolate dessert and more beautiful than a breathtaking sunset over the ocean.

My times are in his hands, from Psalm 31:15, has brought much comfort through hard seasons. I’m consoled by God’s unimaginable Love. What more can I ask than to know He’s holding me and He’s holding Dolly. He alone knows the number of our days, and He has authored each one.

Thoughts of Dolly fill my mind and I’m praying for her heart to heal. Who knows, she may outlive us all. Life is a mystery.

I woke up in the wee hours and thought, “If I die soon, I hope Dolly will take my heart.”  I have a feeling it would be a good match.