The Chords of the Heart

    My husband took me to see Celine Dion once... in Paris! We were still newlyweds. In fact, if I remember correctly, it was my first anniversary gift. He paid the big bucks to get us up close, and I was starstruck. It felt like there wasn't anyone else in that theater but the two of us. I stared with my mouth open, not sure if I took a breath during the whole concert. Then she sang "All By Myself." There was a part in the song where the music fell away and she hit that high note and those words pierced my soul and I sobbed! She was singing about me and my life and all I'd let go of to gain all that I had. She touched the chords of my heart and that is such a rare and amazing feeling!

    Tonight, my best friend and I spontaneously made a plan to go to the movies and see A Man Called Otto. Again, tonight, the chords of my heart were touched in that rare and amazing way and I sobbed beside her and with her and it was such an incredibly heartbreaking but refreshing moment that breathed new life into my friendship with her. As I sat, watching that movie, I felt what she was feeling... all of the pained grief that she is facing after having lost her parents this year. I sat, feeling MY pain, my shame at being angry with my grieving friend for not noticing me. I saw parts of the movie that strummed memories and those butterflies from the old days floated up and drank the tears on my cheeks. There was a moment in the movie that reminded me to never turn a blind eye to someone else in order to focus on myself... And in that final scene in the movie when the biggest grief of all hit the both of us, I sobbed out loud next to her and tried really hard not to feel what we were both feeling but I think it was a wake up call that needed to be heard... that feelings need to be felt. That it's ok to cry. That we have each other, and our friendship will never die.

    Rare is the friendship that can withstand the test of time. I pray I always remember and honor how blessed I am to have her in my life.