Reassurance

This is for anyone who knows someone who is perhaps suffering from an illness, in mourning, or simply in the midst of some sort of life crisis. I have a close friend who is dying from cancer. I have written about him in earlier entries and maintained that I would do everything I could to speak with him and see him as often as possible. It has also been my goal to keep our meetings light and ordinary since I know he misses being out and about, so I see it as my mission to bring as much information (and gossip) I can so that he can stay up to date. Sure we talk about his condition, cancer for me is not scary to talk about, but he hasn't wanted to dwell on it seeing as how no one knows what the future has in store. Or when.

As his health deteriorates, the lapses between our conversations grow. I have on more than one occassion wondered if I am doing him any good.

This week our "branch" had an exhibition in his neighboring town, one that I know he has frequented for years and years. He had his chemo a couple of days prior, so I knew that he would probably not be feeling at all well. But he came, seeing as how his love of social activitities knows no limits. We had lunch together with some other colleagues and mingled about for a while afterwards. Before long he left to return home.

I had decided that the next time I got to meet with him alone that I would flat out ask him if there was anything I should be doing differently, or if maybe it was getting too difficult (for him) to keep on staying in touch. After all, even though we're friends, we've never socialized outside of work or even met each other's families.

On my way home from work today I got a text message:

Hi! Thanks for lunch. It makes me just as happy everytime we get together. Have a great weekend. Love, B

There was my answer.