A Hard Thing

I am not her best friend. We live too far away from each other. She is an uber mom and I have always viewed myself as a by the seat of my pants mom. She lives in a green house, drives a car powered by vegetable oil and lives the Waldorf philosophy. I live in an old house, drive a new car that is better then my old gas guzzler and have a personal philosophy of two words. She is short and I am tall. She is married and I am not.

But. But. We have known each other for 9 years. Our oldest babies entered 1st grade together. Our second children entered 1st grade together 2 years later. Our third children missed being in the same class only by a few months difference in birthdays. Our 4th babies will enter 1st grade together this fall. We both have 4 children at a time in our culture when that is the exception, not the norm. We both have healthy senses of humor. Even though I do not sit in her kitchen sharing womanly chatter over cups of coffee, we never lack for topics of conversation when we do meet.

"How is Samantha and her new school?" "I heard you have a boyfriend. Tell All...Now!" "How is Phin and all of his girls?" "Are we still agreed that we are going to wait until they are in college to fix them up?" We shared the bond of knowing what it is like to raise four bright, stubborn, lively children. Not close, but close enough.

When I got the word though a mutual friend that she wanted me to visit her in the hospital, I was stunned. She has many, many closer, more intimate friends. Why me?

I worked last night. Taught a breastfeeding class to expectant mothers. I went in to the hospital early. I visited my friend. It was one of the hardest things I have ever done. She is sleeping in her 10 year old son's room. He has a traumatic brain injury. I stroked his hair and told him stories. She asked me to distract her so I told her stories. I am a storyteller, after all. He older son is still in the ICU, on life support, also with a traumatic brain injury.

She asked me to come back.

My heart is breaking.

Pray for Margaret.