My Tribute to Cathy

My best friend Cathy passed away late on December 6th. Early in the morning of December 7th, I woke with the need to write her a letter. Perhaps it was Cathy giving me a last hug on her way by that woke me.

Here is the letter I wrote:

If you envision the world as a huge forest then. before I knew Cathy, I was stranded in it, with darkness all around me and the cries of nearby animals loud in my ears. Fear and desolation were my companions.

The innumerable trees in that forest represent Cathy's love. When she found me in the forest she lit a fire for us and fueled it with her love. This glorious fire kept me warm and safe from the forest's dangers. She always had an abundance of firewood, never admonishing me to huddle close to a small fire, but building a huge bonfire sending a glorious shower of sparks into the sky. Her love knew no limits and she had more than enough firewood to keep that fire blazing through all my nights. Her love kept me warm and safe from the forest's dangers.

Cathy always knew when my fire was burning low and she would appear out of the darkness, arms overflowing with more firewood.

Now I am overwhelmed with the knowledge that the firewood supply, which I foolishly thought was endless, is not. Our fire will never again blaze up to the heavens in all its glory. But I have realized if I tend my fire carefully she has left me enough firewood to stay warm and safe from the dangers of the night. I will stay vigilant and feed the glowing embers with all the memories we made together. And when those of us whom she so dearly loved gather together, we can nurture each other's fires.

We weep for ourselves that we will no longer rejoice in that blazing fire sending beautiful sparks into the dark moonless sky. Our world is darker now and we are bereft.