Love is Always

She must have been in kindergarden or first grade when we first met. I remember how strange in a good way it was that when I decided to babysit in my home that God brought all of these children into my home who were 'children of divorce'. Having know what that was like myself I felt like this was more of a ministry than a job and I grew very attached to my little charges. Amanda was one of the really special ones. She became my middle daughter's best friend. They did everything together and when they grew weary they would cuddle up, pop a thumb in their mouth, twiddle their hair and rest. Not even one bit of remorse or embarrassment to be their age and still holding on to this childish habit.
Amanda and Gwenn were FUNNY! Really Funny. Over the top and full of life,loud and well..just funny. Amanda would see the UPS man and say "Hide! It's the brown haired cottage kid!" To this day whenever I see a "brown haired cottage kid" I think of Amanda. For years Gwenn and Amanda were inseparable. Then the unthinkable happened! Amanda stayed back in school and Gwenn went on to another grade. I stopped babysitting for Amanda and as space will often do the girls drifted apart. We moved from NJ to NC and had no contact for many years.Then one day I received a note from Amanda. She had found me in a phone book. She wrote to tell me how special the times were at my house. And to tell me she had cancer.
Today Amanda died. I poured through all of my photo albums and laughed and cried.I watched the video I have of her singing (a little off key) a song in our Christmas play. I looked at a Christmas card that I received and the words she signed with jumped off the photo. It said "Love is Always" Amanda. These words had gone unnoticed the year I received the card. These words, the very words I always use in closing my letters and cards.Words that I got from my mother in law when she signed a letter. Not "Love As Always" as so many people sign but "Love IS Always". It was like a message that I needed to hear. I loved Amanda as a child. I love her as an adult. It does not matter that time and space has separated us for many years because "Love is Always". Always goes beyond the death of this beautiful 32 yr. old mother. It goes beyond today and past tomorrow. Love is Always. It is . Always.