The goodness that comes in ways that you may not see yet.

I consider myself quite fortunate, for not having to suffer the pain of losing a loved one through sickness or death in the years that I've lived. Except the one time I was a teen and I lost my beloved uncle to lung cancer. But that was a very long time ago, and I was still relatively too young to feel the real pain of loss. Then, even losing a boyfriend was considered painful and heartbreaking. How naive.

Three days ago during the long Easter weekend, I recieved news that a very close friend, almost akin to a sister, was in a critical condition and things were not looking optimistic for her. This was devastating news to me, and I really did not know how to react to it, than to cry. I think I did just that for the past three days, post visiting her. 

There were many regrets that I had. For not making the extra effort to meet up more, for not doing so much for her since I became a mother, for taking for granted that our friendship is going to stand through time... For... Simply not being there. 

We share a couple of close friends together, and it is due to this sad news that we all reconnected again to come stand by her side through this rough times. And we all felt the same kind of guilt and regret. 

One said "such is the fragility of life, yet why do we not see it till we lose someone dear to us?" 

While family is important, we must realise that friends are just as important. They are a second set of family God has granted us. And it is through friends that we still learn things from to make us a better, wiser person. We have a lot to thank for with friendships, just that we do not often do, sadly. 

One thing that will come out good behind this devastating news is how my friends and I have decided that we should never, ever procrastinate to meet up anymore. We shall not take our friendship for granted. Time can never be made up for. We will always be too busy to meet up, but some days, everything else can take a back seat while we focus on where we were before becoming parents and before our careers took shape. Yes, the friendships that were built and have been there the whole while. 

I pray that a miracle happens and our friend is returned to us in better health, but I also pray that God grants her the best of which He thinks is for her. Whichever, my heart and love is always reserved for this very special person, one whom I'm eternally grateful for knowing and loving.