I just found out that a friend has died. Suddenly. She was vibrant, smart, sassy and bendy. We became friends about 15 years ago through yoga. We practiced together and laughed together. I admired her flexibility and her eagerness to try new poses with reckless abandon.
I’ll admit, we weren’t close. I would see her at practice occasionally, and at local haunts and parties, as we seemed to have several mutual friends. But when we did see each other, there was a connection that went beyond the superficiality of acquaintances. We seemed to travel instantly from, “Hello!” to deep topics without batting an eye. We were also Facebook friends, commenting on each others inspirational posts.
Our last exchange was on Facebook. I was in Peru on holiday and shortly after I posted photos at Machu Picchu, she replied with her own. Another thing we had in common – pictures of ourselves doing yoga poses on the hilltops of Machu Picchu.
Somehow, I thought this casual friendship would last forever. That the promise to grab a cup of coffee or chat over a bottle of wine would just magically come to fruition.
But it didn’t.
We ran out of time.
Time we could have spent enjoying each other’s company.
Time that was wasted.
It’s a cliché to say that she is gone too soon, but in this case, the cliché is reality.
My friend, I will miss you and the promise of our friendship that never quite blossomed. May your release from your physical existence bring unlimited joy and great expansiveness.
