Family Time

I am at my sister’s tonight; for the next week actually. It has been a long 40+ hours. I woke about 6:30 Saturday morning, packed, cleaned, straightened, organized, ran errands. We left for the train depot about 4:45. It was delayed and did not take off until 8:30 at night. The night started good, but ended cramped and loud. People kept getting on the train and for some reason the passengers were all directed to the first few cars. There are probably 14 cars in all, and I am not sure why, but the ride from Lakeland to Columbia; 10 hours; is considered a short trip. Sleep for upright passengers and their comfort is not as crucial as it is in cars farther back. A passenger actually woke me up to sit in the seat next to me, and I sleepily asked her to try to find another. I was stretched out, it was 12:30 in the morning. The porter actually came back and shook me awake telling me I had to sit up. There were seats in the train empty, which I saw later when we landed here in Columbia. It was not a comfortable ride the rest of the way. People all around were chatting as they got on and off at various stops; really no consideration for others. It was not great, but I arrived safe and sound and that is what matters.

DeLaine and Cugie were right there to meet me and the discomfort was forgotten. We came back here for a while, and soon we had to leave to pick up their oldest granddaughter to go to the baby shower. Not my favorite time, attending those, but it was really quite lovely. I love my nephew and his wife and their two-year old daughter, along with his 11-year-old daughter. Their new little one, due June 27 is going to be one lucky little boy. My beautiful niece drove to the shower – in Rock Hill - as well, and I adore her. If I ever had a daughter, I always wanted her to be like Nikki. She is smart, savvy, sweet, kind, caring. She reminds me a lot of my mom; her face is long like mom’s, her fingers and hands even move the same way as my mother. Anyway, the shower was really nice. Lots of Mark and Katie’s friends, lots of little toddlers, Katie’s family; mine. We came back here and Katie and Mark came back and visited for a good long while, 2-year-old Nora (Norene Rilla) entertaining us, as cherished two-year-olds do. We had dinner after Mark and Katie left, and then we all stretched out in the living room, spent from the long day. I got myself re-organized for this coming week, decided it was time to write about the trip a little, and relax before sleep consumes me. I did doze a little on the train, but only from about 11-12:30. Not much at all.

DeLaine has a very dear friend, Kayse. They have been friends a really long time; pretty much since DeLaine and Cugie moved in here. Their kids are the same age and they all grew up together. They’ve been "couple friends" for a very long time; their husbands are friends as well. I knew from Facebook that Kayse was undergoing some health issues, and it turns out that it is far worse than imagined. She discovered about a month ago that she is in Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer which has metastasized. She is undergoing treatment, but it is mostly about quality of life right now. There is not hope for a cure. I am so saddened for she and her family; for my sister. It is heart-breaking, devastating news for all of them. She had been DeLaine’s rock and anchor for as long as I can remember. To make it worse, Kayse’s husband is also sick. The doctors feel he has kidney cancer, and he, too, is very ill. Kayse’s step-father died yesterday. He had been sick, and death was imminent, but not expectd quite so quickly. It is a lot to take in for DeLaine. My sister is strong when she needs to be, although she is very emotional. She will be strong for Kayse, but it will not be easy, and after will be hardest of all. I cannot stop thinking of Kayse. How her life, just a few months ago, was secure. She was confident in her marriage, her children, her grand-children. And now she has to face the reality that life is all-together too short. Nikki told DeLaine that we all have to die. So true and so astute. But none of us want to think about it happening before we are truly done with living our lives.

I love living life. I love looking for good things to occur, for blooming flowers, for sunshine, rainbows. For light to shine. I know it can be hard and often so uncomfortable, yet it is all so worth it. I know one day it will be my turn to look at the world and know my time is short and I will have to make peace. I am not afraid, but I also am not done living my life. My heart hurts for Kayse and her family; for DeLaine and Cugie. But I am also grateful that they have had a long and wonderful friendship. Many people are not blessed with such beauty in their lives. We can consider ourselves lucky when we find such lights in our lives.