July 26, 2014
My Instead: I met a friend
who lives in Florida who I had never met in person before.
“I’ll be there the end
of July, Kim. Let’s see if we can find some time to meet.” This is the message
I left my long-distance Facebook friend when I found out I would be in Florida
right where she lives. What are the chances!
Our uncanny meeting
about two years ago was a total fluke, thanks to a mutual friend and a text message
gone awry in the cosmos. In the meandering text, Kim determined from my area code where I lived because
she lived here years ago. I was amazed at the coincidence and our friendship was born. Again, what are the chances!
We carved out some time
on Saturday morning for her to pick me up at the guest house where I was
staying in Florida. Kim was raring to go! Her chemo and its effects were not going to stop
her from meeting this unusual woman from Belleville. After all, I may never
pass this way again.
We found a Starbuck’s
near the event, ordered our drinks and snacks, and seated ourselves by the
window. We commenced our visit. Kim has lung cancer and she shared with me parts
of her past two years since her May 2012 “stage 4” diagnosis. But the
discussion wasn’t all about her treatments and her pain, her feeling sick and her
battle. She didn’t want that. Cancer is what she has; it is not who she is.
I told Kim I seldom had
the opportunity to talk with someone “in her situation”. I kept
asking questions referring to “her situation” until I finally corrected myself
and changed it to “what you’re going through”. The bell should have rung and
ended her fight many “rounds” ago, but Kim’s a fighter! When I asked her how
she felt (not physically), she put her hand about an inch from her face and
said “death is this close”. I did not pretend to relate to what she
was expressing. I asked her why she
thinks she is still here. She said she still has something to do. She wasn’t
sure what. I said maybe it’s this right here…this moment! Maybe it’s all the little
“everythings” out there each day waiting for her special touch.
Kim is not the only one
with something still to do, but she is not wasting time. Why are we?
What a beautiful blog:)
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