Remembering "Kath"

I lost a good friend this weekend. She had battled lung cancer ferociously for two years. Saturday night, her body gave out.

Kathy was full of life. Fun, talented, thoughtful, caring - all adjectives I would use to describe her. I learned a lot about being a good friend from her.

I met her 20+ years ago when we were co-workers at a christian music record company. I was a copyright administrator, she was in marketing & advertising.

Along with another girl named Kathy (we often referred to them as "the Kathy's" as if they were one person), we were the 3 Amigos. We hung out together all the time and became fast friends. All 3 of us at the same stage in life - single, just out of college, early 20's, on our own. There wasn't a Nashville restaurant that we didn't try, a Christian artist concert we didn't attend, or a movie we didn't see. I still remember one of the funniest moments of my life, falling to my knees in the lobby of the movie theater at Hickory Hollow because I was laughing so hard. Yep, Kathy was there.

We shopped and had clothes and shoes and music, etc. We were young and only responsible for ourselves. Life was mostly good.

Kathy was also there to comfort me in the dark days just before a childhood friend committed suicide. The "Kathy's" apartment was a refuge.

I still have things around my house that were gifts from her. I'm not a person overly attached to things, but those objects have become more precious to me now. Symbols of love and thoughtfulness left behind.

My wedding anniversary is coming up. I pulled out the wedding album to find her face in the crowd. I remember as I started down the aisle that day, Kathy was at the end of a pew to my left and said in her best stage whisper, "Hey, Gorgeous!" I smiled all the way to the altar.

I'm feeling this loss deeply, like things won't ever be the same again. No more opportunities to "catch up."

Her children are the same age as mine. As tired as she was from fighting the disease, how much more did it hurt her to leave her kids behind? I can only imagine.

Or, as she left this world and looked into the eyes of her Savior, was she at peace knowing that the God with whom she had entrusted her own life, could be trusted to provide everything that her children and husband need?

I believe it must be so.