This post is dedicated to my dear friend, Brenda. Her blog, Cozy Little House, is very popular and many of you reading this post know her well. If you don’t, trot on over and make her acquaintance. Brenda and I have been close friends for a couple of years now. Do you want to know the story behind the beginnings of our friendship?
Like many blogging friendships, ours was first confined to leaving comments on each other’s blog. I liked her blog and I liked her style. She’d leave a comment on my blog, I’d leave a comment on her blog. I had noticed that we were both readers of another blog. I’d often see Brenda’s comment when I was leaving mine. This particular blogger had some health issues. To protect her privacy, I don’t want to go into more detail than that. One evening, I read a post by this blogger that greatly concerned me. It worried me enough that I felt compelled to reach out to someone else who also read the blog. I emailed Brenda, introduced myself officially, and expressed my concern. By that time, she had also read the post and shared my concern. We each wrote to the woman in question and in the process, Brenda and I exchanged telephone numbers. We also spoke to this woman (now becoming a friend) on the phone several times over the course of a couple of months. To make a long story short, eventually she decided to stop blogging, cut off all contact and we had no idea what happened to her. We still don’t. We were worried about her and tried to contact her via email and phone calls but it became clear that, in the midst of coping with her illness, she had cut her ties to the blogging world. We had to respect that. In the meantime, our friendship had grown. And it keeps growing.
Brenda has gone through a tough time lately. Her marriage has ended and she is moving from East Texas to Tulsa, Oklahoma. A new start. I couldn’t be happier for her. Through all the adversity, even when everything seemed hopeless, she has kept her sense of humor – even through the tears.
Here is the new Cozy Little House. The movers are coming today – Sunday – and Brenda departs for Tulsa tomorrow. Her daughter (a realtor) and her husband have been instrumental in helping Brenda find her new haven. They have simply been extraordinary.
Leaving any place you have lived for a number of years is always emotional. Leaving a marriage is also emotional, even when you are grateful for your new-found freedom. Life is complicated that way. But look what’s waiting! A new home, a new life, daughters and grandchildren nearby, independence and the chance to start anew.
I know I’ll visit Brenda one day in Tulsa. I can’t wait.
Bon voyage, my friend. You deserve every happiness.
