There’s the family that we are born into, and then there’s the family we create through friendships. There’s the saying “blood is thicker than water,” but sometimes that friendship bond becomes blood-thick, possibly thicker.
We have a family who joined with our family in that way. The bond was created before I was born, so I grew up thinking of them always as family. For those of you who knew my Godmother, you know what I mean when I say Auntie Mary was a one of a kind special person. I always felt like I had a fairy-godmother like Cinderella had. I didn’t get bippity-boppity-boo’d into a magic dress and carted off to a ball, but I did get showered in love from her. I always felt so blessed to be her godchild, and I still feel blessed that her daughter remains part of my connected family life.
I found a letter from Auntie Mary to my Grandma a few weeks after her husband (my Uncle George) died. I was only 8 when he died, but I remember the day well as it was Christmas Day. We were out on the ranch, there was the usual skiing, sledding and general fun and games of Christmas until everything changed.
The letter was a letter of thanks, thanks for support, thanks for love, thanks for friendship, thanks for being family, thanks for understanding and compassion. All of the things Auntie Mary gave to others, she was thanking my grandma for. It was really heart warming and love-ly to read the love and gratitude shared between these two women, both of whom I always loved and admired. Sometimes the strength people find to deal with hard times comes from deep within, from our faith, and sometimes it also comes from the love and compassion of people we trust in our lives.
The friendship bond that can exist between women is unlike anything else. I think sometimes we don’t put enough emphasis on how important it is to have good friends, people who will be there through all of life’s hills and valleys. I’m so grateful for these letters. They are such a personal way of communicating, an art that has pretty much been lost – I treasure them and love the old stories and memories.
