The Threads that Bind Us

This is a letter written by Kimbies following a week-end read of The Five People You Meet in Heaven. She bopped it in the mail to Paigey and cc'd a copy of it to me, The keeper of the Words. I came across it today and asked her if it would be ok to post it here. For these are the thoughts, the threads, the faces, the hearts, that so bind us.

"Dear Paigey,
Here it is, early Saturday morning. I have just finished your favorite book, a very quick read. I slowly placed it on the table, my thoughts swirling...hum, was it great? did it move me? was I spell bound? As thee idol thoughts raced through my head, I questioned one thing...do you have to wait to meet these five people or are they present and we are just too busy to notice the importance of common every day interactions?
My mind races back to many years ago. We are just children. Running, jumping, picking up pecans, swinging on the front porch swing. Sandy running on the bare wooden floors, Uncle Rufus calling be Timberly, chicken and dumplings, my favorite okra, fried corn bread all on the table. All the family together...Aunts, Uncles, cousins, brothers ,sisters, Mom, and Dad and of course MawMaw.
I move quickly forward to a time about 8 years ago. I was working in the school cafeteria, I would be training Johnny today. He has retired from the head of maintenance, but doesn't want to sit at home so he will join us in the lunch room. We worked together for 2 weeks....chatting, laughing, singing. We talked about many things, some silly, some powerful, heart wrenching. He spoke of losing his son with tears welling in his eyes and mine as well, fresh heartache that will never leave. I see him about twice a year, we always greet each other with a hug and a warm hello.
It is the day of Nadine's funeral. There must be 150 people, maybe more. Her house if filled, people everywhere, all of her best friends, each in their own way. Many I know, many I do not. I bustle in and out, checking on food, clearing plates, getting drinks, greeting people. I have kicked off my heels and enter the living room, serve up a plate of food when across the room a conversation sparks, takes root and holds for a few minutes. i introduce myself, not knowing many of the people in the room at that time, but knowing we are there because of one common thread...the love we have for Nadine. Before exiting, Tom bounds from the chair to embrace with a hug. A little later, I meet a beautiful blonde in the kitchen, Candy.....she is married to Tom, she is a breast cancer survivor. We embrace, and in that hug, I myself knew something, although I did not know what it was, but I knew we were to be dear friends. In the months that followed, we spent Christmas together, Tom's birthday, and helped with Nadine's estate sale.
It is now February 2006, I find my lump and I know what it is, different from the others. In April I go for the mammogram, the radiologist comes in and she knows that I KNOW what I have. She is sweet and kind, she does not tell me I have cancer, she does not have to. I tell her with tears in my eyes about Nadine and meeting Candy and Tom. She hugs me tight and whispers "you will need their support".
In May, I meet with the surgeon. He is up beat, young, and aggressive. I have referred several people to him, but have never met him until today. Pam is with me. I know why my friend Joan loved him so much, her body crumbling, faulting, but her spirit, her strength, her courage, her laugh, her love of life overpowering all her ailments. She was a gift! And, of course, his favorite patient.
One week later, I was back at the surgeon's office with Pam. We sat waiting. I heard a familiar deep voice, somewhat like Ray Charles, and lifted my head to see Johnny and his wife. He is facing colon cancer, we will be chemo partners. We embrace, he talks about a family reunion he hopes to attend in July in Thomasville, georgia. Of course, I know where this is ....our Aunt Ernestine grew up in Pelham. With his deep Ray voice, he turns to his beautiful wife and smiles and says " I knew we were related". His father was born and raised in Pelham. We talk weekly now, keeping up with each other.
So here I sit, contemplating your favorite book. I look around at the cards, flowers, figts of lotions, potions, music, candles, dinners cooked, homemade cheese cakes, pajamas, tokens of strength, of love of support. And I question? Who am I? A daughter, mother wife, sister, aunt, niece, a cousin, a neighbor, a friend, a lunch room lady, and a breast cancer patient. All this out pouring of love and strength has been sent to me by so many people. Many of them I have never met, the LT at Debbies work in Dunnelon, her coworker, her best friend in New York. Co-workers that I see everyday or once in a while, neighbors who have moved out of state, Amber's co-workers, Olivia's best friend and her gramma Sandy, our cousins, of course Mom and dad and all my sisters and brothers, Aunts and uncles, dear friends that have left us, but guided a course for me. People that we meet by chance that are now like family. Wow, it is so deep, so I guess you could say, your favorite book got me thinking very deeply."