Letter to Laurie by Kym Seward

Several years ago, I wrote a poem with no one special in mind. Today, that poem exemplifies you Laurie,

My Special Friend

I was lonely

no one heard me
A shell on the sandy beach Waiting...

to be carried into the flowing sea.

Time  moved  past  me 
no one cared
I  stood  in  crowds, 
alone and scared

Everyone stared 
like an eager child 
viewing cartoons 
no one smiled

An ice-cube 
dissolving in time.

My eyes swelled
as tears began their race 
down  the  hollows  of   my  cheeks, 
the pain in my heart
ticking like a bomb, 
was waiting to explode.

I stood not  knowing 
who I was,
what I wanted, 
where I was going.

'till you came along.

A light fell
through falling rain, 
Understanding followed the patter of teardrops.

A rainbow appeared

Your hand reached out 
to touch mine,
I took it, 
cautiously,
Your smile warmed my soul 
once hidden by dense fog.

With your help
I saw the sun
I climbed a ladder
and didn't fall

I was headed somewhere...

...A new direction.

When you spoke, 
something stirred

in the damp night air,
birds began singing in harmony 
unlike anything heard before.

You spoke kindly (I remember)

I held every word
like newfound treasure 
buried on the ocean floor.

It took time...

you taught me patience,

then, slowly
the barriers rolled away.

The sun began rising up 
from the shadows of time
filling the long, dark corridors 
of my mind, with light

Re-opening the door of my life.

Laurie,

In just the measure of a year, you changed my life. Your smile, shoulder, hugs, lit up my darkest days. We were more alike than others realized. We shared many of the same scars. We surprised others by openly sharing memories of our wild days. Memories most people wouldn’t admit. You never held back, and you never judged me. In fact, you embraced me with the arms of a sister. Your boys and grandbabies meant as much to you as mine do to me. You loved Garrett’s wife Beth with a fierceness I hope to acquire for my daughter-in-law. Reconnecting with your mother this year put the light into your eyes that you’d been missing. Your door was always open. Remember scheming to find Brett a love that would be true to him? A love he deserves. You always wanted more time with your boys and grandbabies. We shared that too. You loved girl’s trips to  dinner, shopping, card games into the early morning hours, watching the birds, playing with your dogs and roosters. Even that huge one you received in the mail from, well we won’t embarrass  him by letting everyone know who mailed you a cock. You my friend, were a rescuer. You helped those that others shunned. You taught me to love myself again, introduced several of us to the Keto diet and rejoiced when you came home from TOPS after learning you’d lost another pound. On your trip to see Garrett’s family last summer, you accidentally drove the wrong way down a one-way street. I hope you know Laurie, when you walked the road into my heart, you found a forever friend. Now you’ve traveled that road to Heaven. Don’t think we’re done walking and don’t think you’re done cleaning house now. You’d better be polishing the floors of Heaven. I’m not letting you off the hook. You promised when you got better, we’d go dancing. Your better now and when I get there Girl…we’re gonna show God how to rock!