I’ve previously posted how we have recently moved to a new home and met my precious neighbor. She befriended me. She made sure I knew how to keep up with local events, helped me find someone to help with my yard and dog when I’m on my own or need to take a trip, recommended a good vet, told me who the neighbors were, and she even brought us enough food once to last us for lunch and dinner.

I began to look forward to seeing her out, and she was out a lot, so we could have a quick chat or wave at each other. I admired her. I didn’t know how old she was at the time, but she walked her little dog twice a day. She would sit on her back patio and watch the dogs play. She would sit on the ground in the front and work in her flower beds. She LIVED.She took the time to talk to my kids and they really loved her. She said they could play in her yard whenever they wanted, said we could sit in her swing, said we could get any flowers that we wanted.

My six year old daughter went in her front yard the other day and stood still. She came back and said, “I miss her. I can still see her sitting there.” Our friend passed away sooner than we expected. It hit me pretty hard and I still feel her loss. I never sat in her swing when she was alive. I never got any of her flowers. I wish I would have taken the time, because I think she would have enjoyed giving us those gifts.

The first day of fall has come and the leaves are falling over her swing. I finally took the time to sit in it. I didn’t bring my phone or a book, but I just enjoyed the peacefulness of listening to the leaves fall to the ground and crunch under my feet. I wondered how many times she had done that. I found out she lived to be eighty. We only got to know her the very last two and a half months, but she made a big impact on me. I hope I take the time to enjoy my life like she did and reach out to others and listen to little children laugh and tell me stories. She took the time and I hope I do, too.