The Birds Sang and Then They Didn't...

Today began with the birds singing and progressed to running into the saddest news in the worst way. Via Facebook, I learned that a friend of mine had a severe stroke. Details emerged on my friend's Facebook page. People posted prayers and requested  updates. One of the most heart-breaking updates was that my friend's condition only became apparent when she did not show up to work. 

People were wishing her a safe passage and explaining that she wasn't able to swallow on her own.

It's too much information and too little information. I want to know more, and I can't bear to know more.

I'm a soft heart. I cry. I ache. I worry about her dogs and who will care for them. I think about how long it's been since I've seen her in person. I think how life works in such a way that time and distance make friends mere blips on the screen. "Keeping in touch" amounts to seeing Facebook updates. I tell myself I don't have the time or money to call people or to visit.

And then things like this happen.

I spent the day alternately crying and laughing. When I began to cry, my husband would play a funny movie.

We went for a walk in the sunshine and knocked a full 3 minutes off our typical route.

We cuddled.

I worked with color and paper and glue.

I made these houses.

I made this postcard with the scraps.

And I finished this week's DLP layout, whose prompt happened to be writing to a friend. I rarely write on my stuff, but this week the words poured out.